Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran has warned it could lay mines across the “entire Persian Gulf” and strike regional power plants if a ground invasion is launched, a move that could trigger a prolonged disruption of global shipping and energy supplies after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a strongly worded statement, Tehran on Monday said: “Any attempt to attack Iran’s coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf (…) to be mined with various types of sea mines.” Iran added that such a scenario would leave the region functioning like the Strait of Hormuz “for a long time.”
Limited Capability
Naval experts say Iran may not need to fully execute its threat to achieve its objective. Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla (retd) told StratNewsGlobal, “It is not possible for Iran to mine the entire Persian Gulf. However, it can effectively mine the Strait of Hormuz and lay a ‘nuisance minefield’ in the Persian Gulf.”
He added that even a limited deployment could have sweeping consequences: “In case it declares that it has laid mines in the region, it will pose a threat to all types of shipping, both merchant and military, and will require dedicated mine-sweeping efforts to clear the area before it is safe for merchant ships and warships to pass.”
The Strait, through which nearly a fifth of global oil flows, has already become difficult to navigate due to ongoing hostilities, with vessels facing drone and missile threats.
Mines Are Cheap, Effective
Military analysts stress that mines remain one of the most disruptive tools in maritime warfare. A former British naval minehunting captain described the challenge: “Those mines have to be searched for, ‘hunted’, and destroyed before they can do damage… This takes time and an immense effort in a waterway as long as Hormuz.”
They are activated by unguarded ships passing overhead and they can count the ships going over and let the first 10 or 20 go and then explode under the next one.
Such tactics make even a small number of mines capable of halting large-scale shipping operations, forcing navies into lengthy and risky clearance missions.
If the mines are laid, then the consequences could be far-reaching, as the energy markets are already under strain. The US has been talking about possible ground operations, and Iran, on its part, has warned that it would retaliate by targeting critical infrastructure, which may include the desalination plants and power plants in the Gulf region.
India’s Preparedness
For India, it is a strategic challenge, while its naval ships are deployed in the region as part of ‘Operation Sankalp’ and are keeping a constant vigil on India-bound cargo vessels stranded in the Strait, capability gaps remain.
Vice Admiral Chawla acknowledged this limitation: “As far as India is concerned, unfortunately, the Indian Navy does not have any minesweeping capability… and therefore we will not be able to support any minesweeping efforts.” He added that any such operation would “require a multinational effort due to the magnitude of the task.”
The Strait of Hormuz qualifies as an international strait; therefore, transit passage generally allows free movement of ships and aircraft.
However, the situation is complicated by the fact that key parties, including Iran and the United States, are not signatories to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea). Iran maintains that only the more restrictive “innocent passage” applies, giving it greater authority to regulate movement.
Legal experts argue that even during conflict, completely blocking an international strait for neutral shipping, such as by laying extensive minefields, would be difficult to justify unless under extreme circumstances.
The Strait of Hormuz is about 20 nautical miles wide and is vulnerable to disruption. If there is limited mining, it could shut down one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.
