Pentagon: Clearing mines in Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months

The Pentagon estimates that clearing naval mines laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months.

US Department of Defence officials provided the assessment during a closed-door briefing to the House Armed Services Committee on April 20, the Associated Press reports, citing a source.

The source said lawmakers at the briefing also requested details on the potential cost of a war with Iran, as well as the strategy and objectives involved.

As of April 2026, US intelligence indicated Iran has deployed over 20 sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the movement of Middle Eastern oil through the Persian Gulf.

Some were floated remotely using GPS technology, which has made it difficult for US forces to detect, a senior defence official said.

Others are believed to have been laid by Iranian forces using small boats.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov