IRAN reportedly loaded naval mines onto vessels in the Persian Gulf last month, sparking concern within the U.S. government that Tehran was preparing to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions with Israel.
According to two U.S. officials familiar with classified intelligence, the mine-loading activity occurred after Israel launched missile strikes on Iranian targets on June 13.
Although the mines have not yet been deployed, the act itself suggested Iran was weighing a serious escalation that could disrupt global energy markets.
Roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz. A closure of this critical waterway could have severely affected international trade and sent global energy prices soaring.
Despite the tension, oil prices have fallen over 10% since U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites — a sign that markets were reassured no major disruption occurred.
The Iranian parliament passed a symbolic resolution on June 22 in favor of closing the strait, shortly after the U.S. bombed three key Iranian nuclear facilities.
However, the decision was not binding, and ultimate authority remains with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Iran has historically issued threats to shut the Strait but has never acted on them.
The two U.S. officials stated that the recent mining preparations may have been a psychological tactic to pressure Washington or a precautionary measure, should the Iranian leadership decide to take further action.
While the U.S. did not disclose how it gathered the intelligence, such data typically comes from satellite surveillance, human informants, or both.
The White House credited President Biden’s “Operation Midnight Hammer” and related efforts for keeping the Strait open and curbing Iran’s aggression. The Pentagon and Iran’s UN mission declined to comment.
Iran is believed to possess more than 5,000 naval mines, with the capability to deploy them quickly using small, fast-moving vessels, according to a 2019 U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report.
The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, is tasked with securing maritime traffic in the region. Before the June strikes, American mine countermeasure ships were temporarily withdrawn from Bahrain in anticipation of possible retaliation.
Iran’s immediate response was limited to a missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, though American officials continue to monitor the potential for future actions.
The Strait of Hormuz, a 21-mile-wide channel between Iran and Oman, is a vital artery for oil exports from OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE, as well as LNG shipments from Qatar.
Iran also relies heavily on the passage, making any move to close it economically risky for Tehran.