Britain is assembling a coalition of roughly 30 countries to clear Iranian sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz and restore commercial shipping through the waterway that carries one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, according to multiple reports.

London is organizing a summit of nations that have pledged to provide “appropriate efforts” to reopen the strait, Politico reported. The coalition includes France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which have signed a joint statement committing to help safeguard the passage, even as many of the participating governments have publicly opposed the war that triggered its closure.

The UK is looking to deploy either a Royal Navy minesweeper or contract a civilian vessel capable of launching mine-sweeping drones into the area, according to The Times. Type 45 destroyers would also be sent to protect tankers transiting the strait.

Iran has left at least a dozen mines in the narrow shipping lane, effectively shutting down one of the world’s most critical trade chokepoints. U.S. officials identified the devices as Iranian-manufactured Maham 3 and Maham 7 limpet mines, according to CBS News.

The Maham 3 weighs more than 660 pounds and uses magnetic and acoustic sensors to attach itself to ships that pass within 10 feet. The Maham 7, a smaller weapon at roughly 485 pounds, rests on the seabed before deploying similar sensors to target medium-sized vessels. First displayed publicly at a 2015 arms exhibition, the Maham 7 is designed to scatter incoming sonar, making it particularly difficult for minesweeping systems to detect.

Iran is believed to hold between 2,000 and 6,000 naval mines in its stockpiles, though an official count is unavailable. The U.S. military said last week that at least 44 Iranian mine-laying vessels have been destroyed since the war began.

Despite the danger, some ships have managed to transit the strait without incident. Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese vessels have crossed without triggering mines or drawing Iranian drone fire. Huax, a German-Italian maritime intelligence firm, reported that these ships have been broadcasting a secret signal identifying them as cleared for passage.

“Whether they are signals to Tehran or internal fleet identifiers, we cannot confirm, but the signals are coordinated across multiple vessels,” Arsenio Longo, a maritime intelligence expert at Huax, told The Times. He noted that Indian and China-linked vessels appear to be transiting or staging for transit while virtually all other commercial traffic remains blocked.

Tehran has said any country except the United States, Israel, and their allies is permitted to pass through the strait.

The British government believes a safe path through the strait exists, given that a small number of tankers have made it through without incident. But the broader commercial shipping industry remains paralyzed, with insurance companies refusing to cover the risk and most vessels staying well clear.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)