U.S. Navy SEAL divers spent approximately four months conducting a highly secretive and dangerous operation to locate and neutralize Iranian mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by the Financial Times cited by Walla.
The SEALs reportedly carried out nighttime missions in the strategic waterway, using unmanned boats, underwater vehicles and advanced sonar systems to locate and neutralize explosives. Iran began laying mines in the strait following the outbreak of the war and U.S.-Israeli strikes in February.
Due to the danger posed to American personnel and vessels, the mine-clearing operation was conducted in secrecy over an extended period. Despite the risks involved, no American casualties were reported during the mission.
President Donald Trump recently announced that international waters in the Strait of Hormuz had been cleared of mines. However, maritime experts cited in the report questioned whether the U.S. can be certain that every mine has been located and neutralized, particularly because the Navy’s traditional minesweeping vessels were not operating in the area.
Iran has disputed the U.S. declaration, claiming that only Tehran knows the locations of the mines it placed. The uncertainty surrounding their number and location continues to give Iran leverage over commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important energy routes.
At the same time, the U.S. military has worked to prevent Iran from placing additional mines, striking Iranian units detected preparing to deploy more explosives into shipping lanes. Maritime authorities, however, have independently confirmed only one mine sighting in the region since the war began.
Despite the months-long American operation, dangers to commercial shipping remain. Vessels continue to face threats from mines as well as Iranian missiles and drones, leaving traffic through the strait restricted and insurance costs sharply higher.
The report stressed that the mission was not a Navy SEAL raid on an Iranian facility, but rather a sustained covert effort to clear mines from shipping lanes. It also did not identify the forces involved as SEAL Team Six.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
