Donald Trump warns Iran over placing mines in Strait of Hormuz; What are these and how Iran plans to use them?

President Donald Trump has warned that any attempt by Iran to mine the Strait would have serious consequences.

Donald Trump, Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Tehran, USA, Persian Gulf, IRGC, China, Russia, North Korea — Iran has built several small vessels solely for laying mines. (Image: www.intellinews.com)

New Delhi: The US has claimed that it is destroying Iranian mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, while US intelligence agencies have claimed that Iran has begun laying some naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. According to two people familiar with US intelligence sources, the mining efforts appear to be limited so far, with only a few dozen mines having been laid in recent days.

Iran has built several small vessels solely for laying mines. This means that Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz with hundreds of mines in a matter of days. This could completely stop the passage of ships through the Strait as the mines could disrupt commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Trump’s warning to Iran over laying mines in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which works in conjunction with the Iranian government’s navy, controls most of the Strait. Military analysts believe that its extensive network of mine-laying craft, explosive boats, and coastal missile systems is capable of laying mines with great ease.

President Donald Trump has warned that any attempt by Iran to mine the Strait would have serious consequences. Trump wrote on TruthSocial, “If Iran has laid any mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed immediately! If for some reason the mines were laid and are not removed immediately, the military consequences for Iran would be unprecedented.” He further wrote, “On the other hand, if they remove what they have planted, it would be a major step in the right direction!”

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What are naval mines that are planted underwater?

The naval mines are laid underwater. These are explosive devices that, if struck by a ship underwater, will blow the ship to pieces with a devastating explosion. They are typically placed in narrow waterways and shipping lanes to disrupt marine activity.

Apart from naval mines, there are limpet mines, which drivers attach to the hull of ships and are named after the shellfish that clings tightly to rocks. Once attached, these devices have a fuse that detonates after a delay. These mines contain small explosive charges and are used to stop ships rather than sink them.

Iran’s mine-laying capability

Numerous reports on Iran state that it produces its own mines. It has been preparing for such a war for many years, so Iran possesses a wide variety of mines. Some of the mines Iran possesses are highly advanced and are believed to have been designed with the help of China, Russia, or North Korea. Before the COVID crisis, the Center for International Maritime Security estimated that Iran may have 2,000 to 5,000 mines. The number of mines Iran will have in 2026 is unknown.

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