The Pentagon has warned US lawmakers that clearing of naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months, raising the prospect of prolonged disruption to global energy supplies to all time high.
According to officials familiar with a classified briefing to members of the House Armed Services Committee, the timeline reflects the complexity of removing naval mines believed to have been deployed by Iran since the start of the war in late February.
Lawmakers were told Tehran may have placed at least 20 mines in and around the strait, some equipped with GPS-enabled systems that allow them to drift or be remotely positioned — making detection and clearance far more difficult.
As per the Pentagon assessment, shared in a classified briefing for members of the House Armed Services Committee earlier this week, any such action is unlikely to begin until after the war ends.
The Strait of Hormuz – one of the most vital maritime energy supple chokepoints – typically carries around a fifth of the world’s oil supply, responsible for supplying 20 per cent of the total energy supply in international markets. The corridor’s closure has already sent shockwaves through energy markets, with tanker traffic in the strait now reduced to a fraction of what it was, while oil and gas prices continue to burgeon.
The briefing heavily contradicted President Donald Trump’s recent claims that Iran had already begun removing mines from the area. Instead, the Pentagon’s internal assessment points to a far more drawn-out and technically challenging process, irking both GOP and Democrat lawmakers.
This indefinite extension of ongoing disruptions could keep oil and gas prices elevated well into the coming months, with knock-on effects for inflation and domestic fuel costs.
The strait was briefly reopened last week, but quickly closed again after Iran accused Washington of breaching commitments by maintaining its naval blockade.
