Clearing Hormuz mines could take up to 6 months, Pentagon tells Congress

The U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) has informed Congress that it could take up to six months to completely clear mines laid by the Iranian military in the Strait of Hormuz. It also stated that such a minesweeping operation would be difficult to execute before a war between the U.S. and Iran concludes. This assessment suggests the economic impact of the conflict could extend beyond the second half of this year. A senior Defense Department official reportedly shared the estimate during a classified briefing on April 21 for members of the House Armed Services Committee. According to two sources, the timeline disappointed both Democratic and Republican lawmakers and is being seen as the clearest signal yet that gasoline and crude oil prices could remain high for an extended period, regardless of any peace agreement. Beyond the economic impact, the situation could have significant repercussions for U.S. domestic politics, particularly for the Republican Party, ahead of the November midterm elections. Lawmakers were told that Iran may have laid more than 20 mines in the Strait of Hormuz area. Some were reportedly deployed remotely using GPS technology, making them difficult for the U.S. military to detect, while the rest are believed to have been laid by Iranian forces using small boats. The White House and the Department of Defense did not respond to inquiries about the assessment on April 22, and U.S. Central Command also declined to comment.