The Imbalance of the Mine Warfare between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz
The decision by the United States to attack Iran for the first time in the past month demonstrates Washington’s determination to win the competition for control over the Strait of Hormund. This step was taken despite the risk of triggering an escalation that could transform the conflict into an open war.
US forces stated they have struck Iranian launch sites that were preparing to fire rockets to deploy sea mines in the narrow waters of the strait. In retaliation, Tehran launched a salvo of missiles towards Jordan, which serves as a base for thousands of American troops. All the missiles were successfully intercepted.
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as the gateway for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has become Tehran’s primary bargaining chip. The US is now launching an aggressive campaign to shake that control and restore freedom of navigation.
The core of this battle lies in the fundamental imbalance of mine warfare. Iran does not need to physically sink ships; they only need to convince shipowners, captains, and insurance companies that the risk of encountering mines is too high to undertake the journey.
Conversely, the US mission is far more difficult. To ensure a safe passage, the US military must neutralise or remove every existing mine. “As long as there is a track record of the strait being mined and Iran possesses a large number of mines, shipowners will consider it too risky,” said Alessio Patalano, professor of war strategy at King’s College London.
Iran’s efforts to deploy mines into the strait using rockets highlight the complexity of the US efforts. Although the regular Iranian navy has largely been destroyed, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) still possesses many small fast boats hidden along the coast.
Furthermore, Iran has demonstrated an unusual method: launching mines from land to sea. In 2025 exercises, the IRGC showcased the Fajr-5 rocket system to deploy sea mines from a distance. This method allows Iran to sow mines quickly without exposing mine-laying vessels to the range of US forces.
This American attack occurred only days after President Trump claimed that the US had removed or detonated all mines in the waterway. Trump warned that any ship laying new mines would be destroyed.
Since mid-July, Trump has reinstated a naval blockade, prohibiting Iranian oil and goods from entering or leaving ports. Eliot Cohen of the CSIS assesses that Iran’s attempts to re-mine the strait demonstrate Tehran’s frustration, as the US blockade has shifted the balance of power.
However, experts warn that mine clearance operations can never guarantee 100% safety. “Mine warfare is a game of ignorance,” said Scott Savitz, a naval operations specialist at Rand. “It is impossible to say with full certainty that all mines have been eliminated; only that the risk has been reduced to an acceptable level.”
Due to the narrow geography of the strait, commercial ships are forced to concentrate on specific lanes, making them easy targets for mines that are easily obtained, moved, and deployed by Iranian forces.
US military leaders have warned Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that large-scale operations in Iran weaken global defence and US domestic security.
The US has implemented an ‘Economic D-Day’ strategy for the isolation of Iran. Tehran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz and use alternative trade routes to survive.
US-Iran tensions have escalated following attacks on tankers off the coast of Saudi Arabia and Iran’s threat to halt global oil exports in the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebi asserted that Iran has prepared next-generation, high-precision weapons should hostilities in the Middle East break out again.
US President Donald Trump has threatened massive economic sanctions against any nation or company that assists Iran amidst the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
He stated that the Dutch government is exploring options to deploy mine-sweeping ships to the Strait of Hormuz alongside allied nations.
US President Donald Trump has instructed the Navy to fire upon mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amidst a heating ceasefire with Iran.
Iran claims to have laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The dangers of modern sea mines and the role of advanced German drones in maritime clearance missions are under scrutiny.
President Trump has ordered the US Navy to implement a total blockade in the Strait of Hormuz to cripple the Iranian economy.
President Donald Trump has threatened ‘high-level’ military consequences if Iran persists in laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.