The United States Navy is working to fast‑track the return of two minesweeping‑equipped vessels to the Arabian Gulf as concerns grow over Iranian threats to mine the Strait of Hormuz. A senior US official said on Wednesday that both ships, currently undergoing maintenance in Singapore, need to be brought “back into the theater” as quickly as possible.
The official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the US has “not a lot of options” in the Indian Ocean for maintaining the Bahrain‑based littoral combat ships, which are now 6,300 kilometres from their operational zone. The vessels had been at sea for extended periods due to ongoing military operations and required refitting and repairs.
The urgency comes as Iran continues to escalate its response to the US‑Israeli war launched on February 28. Tehran has attacked countries hosting American bases and has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz a vital passageway for one‑fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas triggering what analysts describe as the worst energy supply shock in history.
Sources say Iran has already deployed mines in the strait, and on Monday its Defense Council warned that additional types of mines, including floating devices released from the coast, could be used if the US attempts to blockade Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.
The US Navy has retired its older Avenger‑class minesweepers in Bahrain, replacing them with littoral combat ships fitted with mine‑countermeasure systems. When asked about current minesweeping capacity in the Middle East while the two ships remain in Singapore, the official said the US still has unmanned undersea vehicles, four Avenger‑class vessels, helicopters and divers available for mine‑warfare operations.
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