How US Navy SEALs Risked a Dangerous 4-Month Mission To Clear Iranian Mines From Strait of Hormuz
How did US Navy SEALs clear suspected Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz? A covert four-month operation used divers, drones, robotic boats and sonar-equipped underwater systems, mostly at night. While Trump said the mines were cleared, uncertainty over Iran’s ability to re-mine the waterway continues to limit commercial shipping.
The US Navy secretly conducted a four-month operation to locate and destroy suspected Iranian mines in the Strait of Hormuz, using Navy SEAL divers, robotic boats, drones and sonar-equipped underwater systems, according to a Financial Times report. The high-risk mission was conducted largely at night as Washington sought to make the vital shipping route safer for commercial vessels.
The operation involved small teams of divers working with unmanned vessels and specialised underwater craft to identify explosives on the seabed. While President Donald Trump has said that all mines in the strait's international waters were removed or destroyed, uncertainty remains over whether the entire waterway has been cleared and how quickly Iran could lay new mines. Iran Plans Exclusion Zone Near Strait of Hormuz After US Strikes 3 Oil Tankers.
How US Navy's Risky Mine-Clearing Mission Worked
The SEAL teams first searched for suspected mines using robotic systems and sonar technology before clearing the surrounding area. The most dangerous stage could then require a diver to enter the water, approach the mine and attach an explosive charge.
“That is usually followed up by a navy diver who’s got to get in the water and approach the mine, and then put a charge on it and destroy it,” Bill Hamblet, a retired US Navy captain who often operated in the Gulf, told the FT. The Navy could also use unmanned systems to approach and destroy mines, reducing the danger to personnel but making the process more time-consuming. Iran Hits US Warships With Ballistic Missiles, US Strikes 3 Iranian Oil Tankers in Response.
How Drones And Sonar Helped Divers
Among the systems available to US forces was the Navy’s Common Uncrewed Surface Vessel, or CUSV. The drone boat can tow advanced unmanned underwater vehicles, including the MK 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, which is equipped with sonar designed to scan the ocean floor for objects.
The use of unmanned technology allowed forces to search potentially dangerous areas before putting divers in the water. However, mine clearance remains a painstaking operation even with sophisticated equipment. No US casualties have been reported in connection with the mine-clearing operation.
How Iran’s Mines Threatened A Vital Oil Route
The International Maritime Organization estimated in June that roughly 80 mines had been deployed along the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy corridors. The waterway carries a significant share of global oil shipments, meaning even a perceived threat to navigation can have wider consequences for energy markets and commercial shipping.
Iran has claimed it has mined areas of the strait, while maritime authorities and analysts have cautioned that claims about individual mine attacks have not all been independently verified.
How Trump’s Mine-Clearance Claim Changed The Situation
Trump later declared that all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz had been removed or destroyed. The US military subsequently confirmed the clearance effort. However, shipping companies and maritime security advisers remain less certain about the status of the entire waterway.
Areas close to the Omani coast, where US forces have been escorting vessels, are generally considered more likely to have been cleared. There is greater uncertainty over other sections of the strait.
How Iran Could Re-Mine The Strait
The possibility of renewed mining remains a major concern for commercial operators. “It’s hard to know what to believe,” Ethan Connell, assistant director of Taiwan Security Monitor and an expert on mines, told the FT. “Iran is certainly trying to re-mine.”
Experts say the ease with which mines could potentially be redeployed means that clearing existing explosives does not necessarily eliminate the longer-term threat. The uncertainty itself can discourage shipowners from using the route and increase the risks and costs associated with commercial voyages.
How Shipping Has Been Affected
Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains far below normal levels. Only two ships crossed the strait on Saturday, while six made the journey on Sunday, with most using an Iran-approved route, according to reporting cited by the Financial Times.
Tracking the actual level of traffic has also become more difficult because some vessels have been switching off their responders and travelling at night under US military escorts.
How The US Mission Could Affect Hormuz Shipping
The four-month operation has addressed part of the immediate mine threat, but restoring regular commercial traffic will depend on more than physically removing explosives. Shipowners must also be confident that the route will remain secure against renewed mining and other military threats.
For Iran, the continuing possibility of disrupting the waterway provides strategic leverage even when individual mines are removed. For the United States, demonstrating that commercial vessels can safely transit the strait remains a key challenge.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 08, 2026 07:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).