U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing on the Iran war, amid a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 24, 2026. REUTERS\/Kevin Lamarque<\/p>\n
Hegseth Signals Mines Remain Key Obstacle to Full Hormuz Reopening<\/p>\n
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday publicly<\/p>\n
that mines remain a central obstacle to restoring confidence in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
In a Pentagon briefing focused largely on the expanding<\/p>\n
U.S. blockade of Iran<\/p>\n
, Hegseth repeatedly pointed to Iranian mine threats, ongoing clearance operations, and the risks mines continue to pose to commercial navigation, amounting to one of the clearest U.S. acknowledgements yet that mine threats remain a major factor constraining a broader return of shipping.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeing vessels transiting. There are paths that are open,\u201d Hegseth said when asked whether the mine threat had been neutralized enough to restore freer flows through the strait. \u201cTransit is occurring, much more limited than anybody would like to see, and with more risk than people would like to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Hegseth strongly signaled the mine threat is being treated as a serious operational concern, he stopped short of explicitly confirming Iran has already mined\u2014or continues to mine\u2014commercial shipping lanes.<\/p>\n
He said President Trump had authorized U.S. naval forces \u201cto destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Iran is putting mines in the water\u2026 we will shoot to destroy, no hesitation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Hegseth also confirmed U.S. mine countermeasure operations are underway, citing Trump\u2019s order that American mine \u201csweepers are clearing the Strait right now,\u201d adding those efforts had been surged.<\/p>\n
The issue resurfaced later when a reporter referenced a leaked Pentagon briefing that suggested clearing the strait of mines could take as long as six months.<\/p>\n
While Hegseth declined to validate that timeline, he notably did not dismiss the premise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would not speculate on a timeline,\u201d he said. \u201cWe feel confident in our ability, in the correct period of time, to clear any mines that we identify. I would encourage other countries to be a part of such an effort as well, but we\u2019re tracking that very closely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine added that Iran retains \u201ca variety of smaller Boston Whaler-sized boats\u201d associated with the threat and said U.S. forces remain positioned to deter further mine-laying.<\/p>\n
The comments come as commercial traffic through Hormuz remains well below normal levels despite repeated political claims the situation is stabilizing. Maritime security analysts have consistently warned that confidence will not return simply because a ceasefire holds or blockade conditions ease; verified mine clearance and security guarantees are likely prerequisites.<\/p>\n
That view was underscored this week by\u00a0BIMCO, whose Chief Safety & Security Officer Jakob Larsen warned shipping would be<\/p>\n
unlikely to return in force<\/p>\n
until waters are confirmed clear of mines and safe passage is assured.<\/p>\n
Hegseth\u2019s remarks also appeared to undercut suggestions Iranian threats are limited to swarm boats or isolated vessel seizures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re the ones who lay indiscriminate mines,\u201d he said, while accusing Tehran of combining mining risks with harassment by armed fast craft.<\/p>\n
Even as Hegseth touted \u201cpaths that are open,\u201d his own description suggested a managed and hazardous operating environment, not a restoration of freedom of navigation.<\/p>\n