Iran has loaded sea mines onto ships in the Persian Gulf during the active phase of its military confrontation with Israel, probably preparing to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported, citing U.S. government sources.
According to U.S. intelligence sources cited by the agency’s interlocutors, the mines were loaded onto the ships days after Israel began strikes against targets linked to Iran’s nuclear programme. The mines were not planted, but whether they were returned to their storage locations is unknown, Reuters noted.
The agency’s sources do not rule out that Iran’s actions were a ploy intended for the US, and in fact Tehran did not intend to block the passage. The Iranian military, Reuters writes, could also have simply been making preparations while awaiting orders to block the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the key routes for oil shipments from the Persian Gulf to Asian markets. About a fifth of the world’s crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which is only 40 kilometres wide at its narrowest point.
Iranian authorities said during the 12-day war with Israel that they might close the Strait of Hormuz in response to strikes on the country’s territory.