Iran's untraced mines in Strait of Hormuz: Why naval mines are difficult to detect

Last edited Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:43 PM - Edit history (1)

Iran has been unable to open the Strait of Hormuz to more shipping traffic because it cannot locate all of the mines it laid in the waterway and lacks the capability to remove them, The New York Times has reported citing US officials.

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Finding naval mines is a challenge that has persisted since the World Wars. So why is it so difficult to locate them? We explain.

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Naval mines have come a long way since. According to the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law, sea mines may be classified by their methods of deployment, actuation or position in water.

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“The challenge with sea mines is that they can be laid in three layers: floating on the surface, floating inside the water or deployed to the bottom of the seabed. If they’re floating, they are vulnerable to tidal currents and can move location,” said Paul Heslop, an expert with the UN Mine Action Service.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/strait-of-hormuz-naval-mines-explained-10631446/

Tried to excerpt four paragraphs from the article to make a good explanation. Check out the whole thing if you have the time.