Pentagon estimate says Hormuz mine clearance could take months, US disputes report

A Pentagon assessment has suggested that clearing Iranian-laid mines from the Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months, though US officials have rejected the claim and called the report inaccurate.

According to a report by The Washington Post, the estimate was shared with members of the House Armed Services Committee during a classified briefing. The assessment said the operation to fully secure the waterway may not begin until after hostilities end.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil and gas flows in normal conditions, has remained largely restricted since the start of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The disruption has contributed to higher global energy prices and supply uncertainty.

Iran is believed to have deployed at least 20 mines in and around the strait, some reportedly equipped with GPS-based systems, making detection more difficult. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also declared a 1,400 square kilometre “danger zone” in the area.

US officials pushed back against the report, with Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell saying the information was based on selective and inaccurate interpretations of classified material. He said a prolonged closure of the strait was not considered plausible.

Iran has said it will not reopen the waterway as long as the US naval blockade remains in place. Shipping companies have also expressed concern over safety, with Hapag-Lloyd warning that clarity on safe routes is needed before operations can fully resume.

Earlier this month, limited traffic resumed during a brief ceasefire, but only a small number of vessels passed through amid fears of mines and attacks. The US Navy has said it conducted operations to begin clearing the route, though Iran denied those claims and warned against military movement in the area.

Meanwhile, the London is hosting talks involving military planners from more than 30 countries to prepare a multinational effort led by the United Kingdom and France to secure navigation and carry out mine clearance once conditions allow.