Mine nightmare: Pentagon warns Hormuz could stay blocked for months

Six-month shocker from secret briefing

A classified warning out of the Pentagon has rattled Washington: clearing Iranian naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months. Lawmakers were briefed behind closed doors on Tuesday, and the message was blunt — even if the fighting stops, the economic chokehold might not.

Officials told members of Congress that Iran has already seeded the vital waterway with dozens of mines, some deployed using GPS and others dropped by small boats — making them harder to detect and even harder to remove.

Global oil lifeline under threat

The Strait of Hormuz isn’t just another stretch of water — it’s the artery for roughly 20% of the world’s traded oil. Any prolonged disruption sends shockwaves through global markets.

Even more alarming: mine-clearing operations may not even begin properly until the conflict ends. That means the world could be staring at months of instability, even in a ceasefire scenario.

Trump claims control — reality looks messier

Donald Trump has struck a defiant tone, declaring the Strait “sealed up tight” and ordering US forces to destroy any vessels laying mines. He insists American naval power has the situation under control.

But the Pentagon’s own assessment paints a far murkier picture — one where clearing the threat is slow, dangerous, and far from guaranteed.

Lawmakers left in the dark

Sources say both Democrats and Republicans walked out of the briefing frustrated, still lacking clear answers on strategy, cost, and endgame. Questions over controversial early strikes — including one on a school compound — also remain unresolved.

Meanwhile, Iran has continued to flex its muscle in the region, reportedly firing on ships and seizing vessels in the same waters now littered with explosives.

A long war after the war?

Even if the shooting stops tomorrow, the fallout won’t. Mines don’t just disappear — and clearing them is painstaking, high-risk work.

Bottom line: the Strait may be the most dangerous place on Earth right now — and it could stay that way for a long time.

SOURCE

Yet oil and oil futures are down today.

Looks like Iran has shot their wad.

The whole mess and damage to the world's economy at the feet of one man, a fool scoring 11 out of 10 on so many factors: narcissism, hubris, arrogance, impulse, stupidity, mendacity.

Trump, you caused this mess, you clear it up or get out of the way.

8 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Yet oil and oil futures are down today.

Looks like Iran has shot their wad.

Really? I guess that's why they are in such a hurry to meet Vance. Not.

A statistics lesson for you. Only people with zero education in the topic react to a single data point.

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Really? I guess that's why they are in such a hurry to meet Vance. Not.

They?

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

A statistics lesson for you. Only people with zero education in the topic react to a single data point.

Oil price and oil futures are two data points, yes?

4 minutes ago, bannork said:

The whole mess and damage to the world's economy at the feet of one man, a fool scoring 11 out of 10 on so many factors: narcissism, hubris, arrogance, impulse, stupidity, mendacity.

Trump, you caused this mess, you clear it up or get out of the way.

Unfortunately, he can't. The Iranians control the strait and can sink US mine sweepers at will. Maybe the new golden Trump battleships can help, or just be a bigger target. Hegseth will be right on it as soon as he sobers up.

1 minute ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Unfortunately, he can't. The Iranians control the strait and can sink US mine sweepers at will. Maybe the new golden Trump battleships can help, or just be a bigger target. Hegseth will be right on it as soon as he sobers up.

Given Iran controls the strait, how many Iranian ships have delivered their cargo?

9 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

They?

Oil price and oil futures are two data points, yes?

If you put them together in the same distribution, it only serves to confirm you are a statistical ignoramus.

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If you put them together in the same distribution, it only serves to confirm you are a statistical ignoramus.

If you put each of the two data points in a separate distribution, how many data points would the two make then?

Trump is in so far over his head with this war and none of the planners seem to have anticipated this issue with the strait, which is kind of mind-boggling when you really think about it, and it shows you the level of simple-minded thinking that went into the planning of this thing, or perhaps the total lack of planning.

My guess is that the goon will withdraw with his tail between his legs, and claim a false victory having accomplished nothing except destruction of the world economy and more turmoil, but that's why we call him Mr. Chaos, isn't it?

He is a simpleton nimwit, being advised by people that he picked from the absolute bottom of the barrel, but that's just Don. It's a shame because tens of millions of people thought he was somebody else. And he sure is showing his true colors now.

And both of his sons just purchased a company that is going to be making drones for the US Armed Forces, so guess what? This whole thing just might have been about self enrichment for his family, and nothing more. The massive and unadulterated corruption continues, Trump style.

The amount of chaos Trump has caused for the entire planet with his unnecessary forever war is astounding. It was sich a bad choice and the timing could not have been worse, as the world economy is already challenged enough. This means nothing to him as his wealth continues to grow through massive corruption.

What did they think was going to happen with the strait and why did they think they could handle the consequences of this recklessness?

The US has backed themselves into a corner and the economic devastation has been way beyond what they anticipated, and the price they're going to pay for this in the midterms is going to be brutal. Unchecked inflation, rising unemployment, the closing of hundreds of thousands of small businesses, no return of manufacturing to the US, a shortage of labor due to extreme and short sighted immigration policy, and the abandonment of any hope that Trump would improve the quality of life for Americans, but instead we get sabotage of those hopes for the entire planet.

Don's demise will be a good thing, as Trump will lose his power and he will just become a whiny gutter trash punk, will have to deal with being doubly impotent, and hopefully he will eventually disappear into oblivion. Morbid sickness is quite likely, considering his rapid decline, and his three or four cheeseburger a day diet.

See ya Don. You will not be missed, the world will celebrate your demise with such glee, hundreds of millions will take to the streets and welcome the return of civility, decency, honor, grace and hope.

Trump deserves severe punishment for this act. America will be reaping the blowback for years to come and nobody knows how long the chaos will last.

Vlad supporters really enjoy news from this war. I think that our Chinese and North Korean friends also see the America`s weakness in Iran. So I am sure that 2-3 months later every 2nd Iranian naval mine will be produced in China. This will change the world order to that degree that you guys will look for a Chinese language courses soon.

11 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

If you put each of the two data points in a separate distribution, how many data points would the two make then?

And I thought there was no such thing as a stupid question, you've proven me wrong.

10 hours ago, zmisha said:

Vlad supporters really enjoy news from this war. I think that our Chinese and North Korean friends also see the America`s weakness in Iran. So I am sure that 2-3 months later every 2nd Iranian naval mine will be produced in China. This will change the world order to that degree that you guys will look for a Chinese language courses soon.

Trump has been making our adversaries more influential from day one. And he has been diminishing the influence and reputation of America dramatically. He is a truly horrific leader. And a man so completely lacking in any sort of grace and dignity.

How how far we have strayed from the words of John Adams, the second president of America. Nothing but pure moral degradation under Disaster Don.

With the faith and honor of the American people I make you the following solemn promises: to do justice at all times, and to all nations, to maintain peace, brotherhood and benevolence with all the world, and to lay myself under the most solemn obligations to uphold the Constitution of the United States to the utmost of my power.