Posted on 04/12/2026 5:12:26 PM PDT by Libloather
As peace talks between America and Iran fell apart over the weekend, President Trump has called for the US military to take control of the Strait of Hormuz and clear the water of Tehran’s mines.
The strait, which oversees 20% of the world’s oil transports, has remained closed since the war began on Feb. 28, with Iran filling the passage with deadly, underwater mines.
To clear the waters, the US will tap its own navy and that of allied nations to deploy minesweepers and clear the Strait of Hormuz to resume global trade, Trump said Sunday.
“We have minesweepers there now,” Trump told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“We have highly sophisticated underwater minesweepers, which are the latest and the greatest, but we’re also bringing in more traditional minesweepers,” he added.
“I understand the UK and a couple of other countries are sending minesweepers. A lot of countries don’t have minesweepers.”
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said operations to clear the Strait of Hormuz began on Saturday after two American destroyers passed through the waters for the first time since the war began.
The US Navy will be deploying “underwater drones” to locate Iran’s mines and take them out “in the coming days,” CENTCOM added.
The US military has several underwater UAVs capable of traversing the strait, including the 1,7000 pound Knifefish drone, developed by General Dynamics.
“The Knifefish UUV provides the mine warfare commander with enhanced mine-hunting capability by detecting, classifying and identifying both buried mines and mines in high clutter environments,” according to the company.
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Radar and water cannons seems to be the trick.
This is really hitting their allies hard as what they aren’t telling you is that 87% of that 20% of the world’s oil transports goes to Asia. So who’s going to take the real brunt of it?
China is the primary buyer of Iranian oil, importing roughly 1.2 to 1.4 million barrels per day (mbd) as of early 2026, accounting for over 80% of Iran’s total exports. Estimates for early 2026 put Iranian crude shipments to China at roughly 1.22–1.4 million barrels per day, though some earlier 2026 figures reached as high as 2.16 mbd during peaks. Are they willing to step in now and plead their case?
wy69
Oil at 104 in Pre Trading. Lower than I thought.
Somehow the ships loading Iranian oil have been coming in and going out without any worry. I don’t think mines are an issue. It’s speed boats with bazookas.
if our Navy is so capable, then how come the Iranians were able to dump many mines in the straits?
They've mined the conventional shipping lanes.
They're escorting permitted vessels through their national waters.
The biggest issue is going to be drones in numbers our limited magazines simply can't contend with.
That’s why there are A-10s and Apaches. Might want to rethink the ‘bazooka’ idea.
“They’ve mined the conventional shipping lanes.”
You saw them?
Do you really know anything about naval warfare? Do some research and come back and we can discuss it.😁
There is a separate channel that hugs the Iranian coast apart from main channel.
Certainly enough to wonder why the Navy was not able to identify potential mine layers, piers, and warehouses.
They are all coming to Texas and Louisiana to fill up with oil and gas
Oil lower than last monday says to me that markets now think a major escalation of the war is less likely than it was then.
There is a separate channel that hugs the Iranian coast apart from main channel. >>. Looks like more ships seem to be moving and yes they all stay well north near Qeshim island
https://www.vesselfinder.com/
Oh, that does not look like a fun job.
Find some photos and look at the coastline of SOH, cliffs, caves. The threat is anti-ship missiles, airborne drones, undersea drones. Mines can lie on seabed, seemingly inert until activated with signal.
Many of those mines have been there for years. Some of them break free from their moorings and are adrift.
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