Risk at sea: what are naval mines and why they can worsen the war between Iran, the USA and Israel

US destroys Iranian ships with mines in the Strait of Hormuz United States President Donald Trump once again raised his tone against Iran on Tuesday (10), after reports in the North American press stated that Iranian forces could place explosives known as naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp ▶️ Context: The Strait of Hormuz is a maritime route through which around 20% of the oil traded in the world passes. The region is considered strategic and lies between Iranian territory and the Arabian Peninsula. After the war began on February 28, Iran said it was closing the strait and threatened to attack vessels that attempted to cross. Faced with the threat, maritime traffic in the region fell drastically. The movement put pressure on the price of a barrel of oil, which reached close to US$ 120 on Monday (9). Also on Monday, Trump stated that the strait was not closed, in an attempt to encourage the flow of oil. The president said he could attack Iran “twenty times harder” if the country interfered in the transportation of the commodity. Now, with the possibility of mines being placed in the region, any ship trying to cross the waters could be at risk. The explosives are submerged or adrift and can be triggered automatically by contact or when they detect the vessel’s passage. German naval mine installed in World War II being detonated in May 2014 David Krigbaum/US Navy 💥 Iran’s power: Estimates indicate that the Iranian government may have a stockpile of between 2,000 and 6,000 naval mines. The weapons are explosives positioned at sea to hit vessels. There are different models of naval mines. Some are stuck to the seabed, while others remain anchored at a certain depth or, in some cases, can drift. Simpler models explode upon impact with the ship’s hull. More modern versions use sensors that detect changes in the magnetic field, water pressure or engine noise. According to analyzes by the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, at the University of Texas, Iran maintains a varied arsenal of mines of Soviet, Western and self-made origin. A study by the center points out that one of the most advanced models in the country’s possession would be the EM-52, of Chinese origin. This mine remains on the seabed and fires a type of rocket towards the target when it detects the passage of a vessel. According to the study, Iran’s ability to install mines of this type on a large scale is limited, as the country would only have three submarines suitable for launching the model. Given this, Iran could use small vessels to place simpler mines. Still according to the Strauss Center, even if Iran manages to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz, it would be difficult for a single mine to sink a large vessel, such as an oil tanker. The ship, however, could suffer damage. The use of sea mines is regulated by the 1907 Hague Convention. The treaty prohibits countries from installing contact mines near the coast or enemy ports with the aim of blocking commercial vessel traffic. The Strait of Hormuz has been mined in the past. In the 1980s, during the final phase of the war between Iran and Iraq, explosives were spread across the region. Naval mine was found in the Black Sea by fishermen Romanian Armed Forces via Reuters US attacks boats In a publication on the Truth Social network, Trump demanded that Iran give up installing mines in the region or remove any explosives that have been placed in the sea route. “If, for any reason, mines are laid and are not removed immediately, the military consequences for Iran will be of an unprecedented magnitude,” he said. The president also said that the United States monitors the region and will destroy any vessel used to mine the Strait of Hormuz. Shortly afterwards, United States Central Command (Centcom) announced that it had attacked several Iranian boats throughout Tuesday. Among the targets would be 16 vessels used to transport naval mines. On Monday (9), Trump stated in an interview that he was considering taking control of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that he could destroy Iran if the country tried to interfere in the region. “If you do anything wrong, it will be the end of Iran and you will never hear that name again,” he said. VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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