Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are escalating as Iran targets U.S. and allied naval forces, turning this vital maritime corridor into a high-risk zone. Using its strategic “Seamines” plan, Tehran has deployed mines and explosives throughout the strait, creating a significant threat to shipping. The narrow strait, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, spans 33 to 39 kilometers in width, with shipping lanes only three kilometers wide. Approximately 20–30% of the world’s oil shipments pass through this corridor, including exports from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have secretly installed thousands of sea mines using small, radar-evading boats, mainly under the cover of night. These mines are triggered upon contact with ships or submarines, causing devastating explosions. The technology has evolved from rudimentary explosives to highly sophisticated systems capable of disrupting naval operations in the region.
The Iranian navy employs three main types of mines. Contact mines explode on direct impact with a vessel, influencer mines use sensors to detect the sound or magnetic signature of ships and detonate remotely, and rising mines strike targets directly via projectiles, with explosive payloads ranging from 50 to 1,000 kilograms. Iran is reported to possess between 2,000 and 6,000 mines, a combination of imported stockpiles and domestically manufactured devices, deployed via small fast boats and submarines.
In response to the threat, U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded the immediate removal of these mines. U.S. forces have destroyed 16 Iranian vessels involved in laying explosives, but Iran continues its operations under its decentralized “Mosaic” strategy, maintaining pressure on strategic shipping lanes.
The mine deployment in the Strait of Hormuz poses a serious risk to global energy supplies. The potential closure of the strait could disrupt oil transport and destabilize the global economy, prompting close monitoring by major powers. Analysts note that Iran’s increasingly aggressive maritime tactics represent a growing challenge for the U.S. and its allies, with significant implications for regional and global security.