Iran alleged to lay new mines in Hormuz as US sends 3rd carrier
Iran’s navy has allegedly placed fresh underwater mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to Axios, as the US dispatched a third aircraft carrier to the region. President Trump ordered the Navy to shoot any Iranian mine-laying boats with “no hesitation.” About 20% of global oil passes through the strait daily.
Iran’s navy has reportedly deployed new underwater mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, even as a fragile ceasefire remains in place, according to an Axios report on Thursday citing a US official and a separate source familiar with the matter. American forces detected the mining operation and have been closely tracking it, officials said. While they know the exact number of mines deployed, they declined to reveal the figure. Following briefings, President Trump ordered the US Navy via Truth Social to shoot any Iranian boats caught laying mines with “no hesitation.”
US military buildup
The USS George H.W. Bush arrived in the region on Thursday as the third American aircraft carrier deployed there, giving Washington additional military options should Trump decide to resume the war. The US Navy is operating underwater drones in the strait to locate and clear the mines—an effort Trump has ordered to be tripled. Shipping through the strait has been severely disrupted since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28, and a US naval blockade was announced on April 13. Approximately 20% of the global oil supply transits the strait daily, and heightened insecurity has driven up oil prices as well as shipping and insurance costs.
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