Althouse: "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..."

April 11, 2026

"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..."

"... according to U.S. officials. The development is one reason Iran has not been able to quickly comply with the Trump administration’s admonitions to let more traffic pass through the strait. It is also potentially a complicating factor as Iranian negotiators and a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance meet in Pakistan this weekend for peace talks...."

The NYT reports.

82 comments:

n.n said...: The devil is in the diversity of exothermic infusions (DEI) that belabor the trans of the Strait.; 4/11/26, 11:28 AM
hombre said...: Islamist assholes would rather destroy the world than make peace with infidels, particularly Jews.; 4/11/26, 11:28 AM
narciso said...: Im reminded of the mask of dimitrious where he bribed an official to get access to the maps of mines; 4/11/26, 11:33 AM
Saint Croix said...: Mining is a dangerous act of war. Mines sometimes kill innocent people years after the war is over. We have the capability to remove mines. But it’s tricky if Iran has no idea where they put them.; 4/11/26, 11:36 AM
Saint Croix said...: If Iran is genuinely ignorant about the location of all the mines, then no ship is safe, including ones flying Iranian flags.; 4/11/26, 11:39 AM
Charlie Currie said...: It's amazing that Iranian, Chinese, Pakistani and Indian vessels can sail through the Strait unscathed. Must be some new anti mine technology.; 4/11/26, 11:42 AM
Charlie Currie said...: Also, a French container vessel. Just amazing.; 4/11/26, 11:42 AM
Breezy said...: Or Chinese ones…; 4/11/26, 11:44 AM
narciso said...: The boat crews that laid the mines are at the bottom of the sea; 4/11/26, 11:44 AM
Aggie said...: You know, a person could cause a lot of mischief taking advantage of an admission like that. All kinds of opportunities.; 4/11/26, 11:59 AM
imTay said...: Whatever you say, NYT.; 4/11/26, 12:04 PM
Howard said...: I don't think the Chinese and the Iranians really give a s*** about the risk for hitting the odd mine.
Western shipping companies are likely to be much more risk-averse.

Too bad. Bill Wattenberg is dead. He could probably figure out how to locate those mines in a week or two.; 4/11/26, 12:05 PM
Howard said...: https://www.sfgate.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/CHRONICLE-PROFILE-Bill-Wattenburg-Radio-host-2787327.php; 4/11/26, 12:07 PM
Rick67 said...: That is the other huge problem with mines. Cambodia would like to have a word.; 4/11/26, 12:12 PM
Jersey Fled said...: I hear the Minnesota Somalis are selling safe passage passes through the Strait now.; 4/11/26, 12:15 PM
Wince said...: "Iran has been unable to open the Strait of Hormuz... because it cannot locate all of the mines it laid..."

Had to stop in my tracks for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid

Fortress Around Your Heart

Under the ruins of a walled city
Crumbling towers and beams of yellow lights
No flags of truce, no cries of pity
The siege guns have been pounding through the nights
It took a day to build the city
We walked through its streets in the afternoon
As I returned across the field's I'd known
I recognized the walls that I'd once laid

Had to stop in my tracks for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid

And if I built this fortress around your heart
Encircled you in trenches and barbed wire
Then let me build a bridge
For I cannot fill the chasm
And let me set the battlements on fire; 4/11/26, 12:19 PM
Achilles said...: These mines are all Trump's fault. And MAGA.

They have nothing to do with the Billions of dollars Obama gave the Mullahs. We know this for sure.; 4/11/26, 12:22 PM
mikee said...: Motivate them. Remove a bridge an hour until they clear their illegal mining.; 4/11/26, 12:31 PM
Rabel said...: "U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, April 11, as two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers conducted operations.

USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps."

Despite the fear-mongering we just sailed two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz. And back.; 4/11/26, 12:33 PM
Freder Frederson said...: Motivate them. Remove a bridge an hour until they clear their illegal mining.

And that would not be illegal, exactly how?

Didn't your mother (and more importantly, The Geneva Conventions) tell you that two wrongs do not make a right?; 4/11/26, 1:04 PM
Big Mike said...: The New York Times is not exactly the news source I would turn to for accurate information about the current US-Iran “kinetic military action.” Just sayin’; 4/11/26, 1:07 PM
Freder Frederson said...: Despite the fear-mongering we just sailed two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz. And back.

Unlike U.S. destroyers (and most of the other ships in navies everywhere), most oil tankers and commercial ships do not have mine detection equipment and have not been degaussed.; 4/11/26, 1:07 PM
Big Mike said...: I see that Fredo Frederson wants us to engage the IRGC with Super Soakers instead of bombs and cannons.; 4/11/26, 1:09 PM
Saint Croix said...: I'm not sure but I don't think any ships have actually run into a mine. So another possibility is that Iran hasn't mined the strait at all, they're just bluffing.; 4/11/26, 1:11 PM
Iman said...: If the Iranians have not placed any mines over the course of - let’s say - the last 6 months, would it be possible to review the ship traffic, the lanes used over that same time period to help determine what would be a safe path? Just a thought…; 4/11/26, 1:33 PM
Big Mike said...: According to an article in the Navy Times the US Navy decommissioned its mine sweepers in favor of Littoral Combat Ships with the mine countermeasure mission package. If we use these LCS vessels — and I think there are only three of four of them — the Navy will be beta testing the MCM mission package with real mines in a real blue water combat zone. Good luck to them.

However, the UK currently has 9 minesweepers, supplemented by autonomous mine-detecting sea-going robots, France has 20 minesweepers, and Italy has another 10. If the nations that actually need that oil want to help with mine clearing in the Strait of Hormuz, they could be pretty useful.; 4/11/26, 1:38 PM
rhhardin said...: No mines. It would be a bad tactical decision, akin to shooting the hostages you're holding in a standoff with police. You lose your leverage.; 4/11/26, 1:39 PM
Big Mike said...: @Iman (1:33), do you really think the US has not been doing just that?; 4/11/26, 1:41 PM
Enigma said...: Given the large number of Iranian navy deaths and at the top of the national command chain, I suspect that those who remain alive may not know what was done. I suspect the militants and zealots continue to parrot what their leaders told them over the years -- "Yes Sir. How high Sir?"

If this story is correct, China, India, and Japan will start paying whatever it takes to get rid of the mines. China may rapidly develop an underwater drone mine sweeper...if they haven't already.

I've heard that modern mines can be set to respond ONLY to vessels of a specific size and speed (e.g., tankers; container ships). They ignore small, fast, and light military ships. These are not the underwater 'porcupine' balls of WW2.; 4/11/26, 1:51 PM
Josephbleau said...: Iran says, boy, these mines are always in the last place you look.; 4/11/26, 1:52 PM
john mosby said...: Freder: “ Remove a bridge an hour until they clear their illegal mining. And that would not be illegal, exactly how?”

VDH yesterday reminded us how many Serbian bridges and power plants Clinton bombed. I’m sure Trump will gladly go to The Hague if his buddy Billy Jeff can be his cell mate. CC, JSM; 4/11/26, 2:08 PM
Iman said...: Yes, I would hope so, Big Mike. Just another tactic to help the Quimby nations of the West who won’t put skin in the game.; 4/11/26, 2:12 PM
Josephbleau said...: Acoustic, magnetic, and pressure mines use batteries and current mines last about a month or two, I am told, even with power saving tech. The US has mk 60 series and captor mines that can be dropped by b52s among other things and they would be dropped near Taiwan, say, when the attack starts, to save batteries.

The majority of Irans mines are still contact, they have many electronic ones which need to be replaced at some point as batteries die and they foul with sea crap. So Iran would need to have boats or subs scooting around putting in new ones periodically.

The us also has undersea camera and sensor robots that can run around and find mines.; 4/11/26, 2:19 PM
narciso said...: So which officials (this is an elaborate fiction) if not labeled; 4/11/26, 2:34 PM
narciso said...: To blockade a major sea lane is illegal; 4/11/26, 2:46 PM
Original Mike said...: "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..."

Then there's little need for a ceasefire.
Finish the job.; 4/11/26, 3:39 PM
narciso said...: I suppose iranian navy officer are 'learning not to be seen'; 4/11/26, 3:48 PM
Achilles said...: Freder Frederson said...

Motivate them. Remove a bridge an hour until they clear their illegal mining.

And that would not be illegal, exactly how?

Didn't your mother (and more importantly, The Geneva Conventions) tell you that two wrongs do not make a right?

The Geneva Conventions apply to exactly one country for Freder: The United States.

Freder and Iran are allies against one country: The United States.

That describes everything about Freder Frederson and his fellow travelers. He hates the United States and the people in it who refuse to kneel to him and his political party.; 4/11/26, 4:21 PM
Rustygrommet said...: "And that would not be illegal, exactly how?"

Explain the legality of war.; 4/11/26, 4:29 PM
Mason G said...: "Explain the legality of war."

"It's legal when Democrats do it."

Actually, that works for just about everything.; 4/11/26, 4:30 PM
The Godfather said...: Who says Iran doesn't know where its mines are? Iran? And you BELIEVE them?
Would you like to buy a nice bridge in Brooklyn?; 4/11/26, 4:38 PM
Iman said...: Finish. The. Job.; 4/11/26, 4:51 PM
Dave Begley said...: Trump needs to end the ceasefire and seize Kharg Island. Crush the IRGC like bugs.; 4/11/26, 4:52 PM
Big Mike said...: The Godfather said...

Who says Iran doesn't know where its mines are? Iran? And you BELIEVE them?

The mines were planted by the IRGC. I can believe they came ashore directly after their mine laying mission and couldn’t tell you precisely where they were laid.; 4/11/26, 5:01 PM
Howard said...: The US Navy is actively mine sweeping the straight of Hormuz.
This means we're going to control the traffic. This is more great news. Experts speculated we needed ground troops to control the gap. Iran has surrendered it. I suspect no one is saying that out loud to save mullahs face.; 4/11/26, 5:27 PM
Original Mike said...: "The US Navy is actively mine sweeping the straight of Hormuz. This means we're going to control the traffic. This is more great news."

That would be great news. Can you provide a link or source?; 4/11/26, 5:30 PM
Original Mike said...: Just watched a tanker of some sort sail in and dock in Sydney Harbour. A few days ago the Australian government was saying the last tanker would be arriving Apr 8.; 4/11/26, 5:33 PM
narciso said...: Actually its irin or nebaja in farsi; 4/11/26, 5:38 PM
narciso said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/11/26, 5:38 PM
Original Mike said...: Australia is in desperate straits (though apparently not as bad as initially claimed) because they have closed almost all of their refineries. Almost all refined products are imported.; 4/11/26, 6:03 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Funny how closing the Strait brought Trump back to the negotiating table.

Trump has gone from demanding unconditional surrender and choosing the next supreme leader, to trying to negotiate to get back to the position of before the war when the Strait was open.

Sadly for Trump, Iran are comfortable with the status quo, while Trump is not, and that means that Iran have all the cards.

This is the arsonist showing up to "help" put out the fire they started.; 4/11/26, 6:11 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: I think the funniest line in the whole conflict was when Trump was asked what he thought about Iran imposing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, and he suggested that maybe they could make it a US/Iranian joint venture.

You have to laugh really. No other reaction to the sight of America descending into such lawless piracy.; 4/11/26, 6:19 PM
Original Mike said...: "Sadly for Trump, Iran are comfortable with the status quo, while Trump is not, and that means that Iran have all the cards."

Do you enjoy humiliating yourself?; 4/11/26, 6:28 PM
wildswan said...: What's more to the point than the alleged mining of Hormuz with its sad tale of lost maps, is that the IRGC cannot surrender and lay down its arms because its members would be torn to pieces by the citizens, the relatives of the murdered protestors, the next minute. Nor can they go anywhere I know of because they bombed the other Muslim states and aren't welcome there. The IRGC is surrounded by its own people and can expect no mercy. And I'm sure Trump and Marco Rubio know all about it. Maybe the IRGC could go to Gaza where Hamas has the same problem ... but no, the Israelis would not allow it. The best thing might be for the IRGC to surrender to the Israelis and go into camps patrolled by the Israelis and there surrender their weapons.; 4/11/26, 7:16 PM
Original Mike said...: "This is Tehran now. They are not Iranians. They don’t speak our language. They are Hashd Al shabi jihadists from Iraq speaking Arabic."

"Iran does not have a “government” that somehow kills “its own people”. Iran is under Arab-Islamic occupation for 47 years. The Ayatollahs just learned a bit of Persian, but they are all foreign enemies to Iran, killing Iranians and will continue to do so as long as they remain in power."; 4/11/26, 7:20 PM
Rocco said...: Big Mike said...
“I see that Fredo Frederson wants us to engage the IRGC with Super Soakers instead of bombs and cannons.”

And pool noodles too, I’d bet.; 4/11/26, 7:21 PM
Rocco said...: Howard said...
“The US Navy is actively mine sweeping the straight of Hormuz. This means we're going to control the traffic. This is more great news. Experts speculated we needed ground troops to control the gap. Iran has surrendered it.”

Ah, yes. Where would we be without “experts”?; 4/11/26, 7:24 PM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: Kak still desperately searching for a Mullah to accept his surrender; 4/11/26, 8:05 PM
Ampersand said...: Why wouldn't the Iranians try to assassinate Vance in Pakistan?; 4/11/26, 8:08 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: If the Iran war sends the Saudi Arabian economy into a recession, sources believe its government would have to pare down to its most basic functions, such as funneling money to Jared Kushner.; 4/11/26, 8:10 PM
Original Mike said...: Nautical channel in the Strait of Hormuz is in Omani territorial waters, not Iranian

Interesting. I just assumed (or was told) it was in Iranian waters.; 4/11/26, 8:17 PM
Rustygrommet said...: I think I'll have a long wait.; 4/11/26, 8:31 PM
Chuck said...: Comply. Yeah. Right. Anyone taking seriously a single thing being farted out by this criminal administration is a drooling fool.; 4/11/26, 8:37 PM
Achilles said...: Howard said...

The US Navy is actively mine sweeping the straight of Hormuz.
This means we're going to control the traffic. This is more great news. Experts speculated we needed ground troops to control the gap. Iran has surrendered it. I suspect no one is saying that out loud to save mullahs face.

The Mullahs, the ones that are still alive that is, seem to be acting in a realistic way now.

Then you have the European and Democrat globalists. They are not taking this well at all.; 4/11/26, 8:39 PM
Achilles said...: Chuck said...

Comply. Yeah. Right. Anyone taking seriously a single thing being farted out by this criminal administration is a drooling fool.

Oops.

You are such a retard.; 4/11/26, 8:44 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: “ Acoustic, magnetic, and pressure mines use batteries and current mines last about a month or two, I am told, even with power saving tech. The US has mk 60 series and captor mines that can be dropped by b52s among other things and they would be dropped near Taiwan, say, when the attack starts, to save batteries.”

“The majority of Irans mines are still contact, they have many electronic ones which need to be replaced at some point as batteries die and they foul with sea crap. So Iran would need to have boats or subs scooting around putting in new ones periodically.”

Which they don’t have anymore. Maybe the original plan was to move the mines around a bit. But that plan ended when the US sank their last small boat and last submarine. And remember, the US now has A-10 Sea Hogs (Warthogs doing maritime work) in the area. Whatever they try to more, recharge, etc, with, will very quickly be obliterated.

What this means is that their contact mine threat is rapidly timing out. That leaves their few deep mines. Much more expensive, and more dangerous, due to the larger amount of explosives in each one.; 4/11/26, 8:56 PM
Original Mike said...: BREAKING: Qatar’s Ministry of Transport says maritime navigation will resume “for all types of maritime vessels and ships” from 6am-6pm local time (03:00-15:00 GMT) on Sunday.

Stay tuned.; 4/11/26, 8:57 PM
Original Mike said...: U.S. Forces Start Mine Clearance Mission in Strait of Hormuz

"Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM."; 4/11/26, 9:01 PM
Original Mike said...: I guess the US Navy doesn't know that Iran has all the cards.; 4/11/26, 9:13 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Interestingly, the Iranians are clawing that the part of the strait that is mined is the inside of the strait (in Omani waters). The traditional traffic lanes. They have new traffic lanes NW of the traditional lanes that are clear of mines. Anyone not associated with the US, etc can safely transit the Strait using the Iranian lanes. After getting Iranian permission, and paying a toll (excluding China, of course), of course.

First, this is an admission that they laid whatever mines they laid, in Omani, and not Iranian waters. That is, of course, a War Crime, and violates the Laws of the Sea. (Not that Iran cares). What it does mean is that Oman can ask their allies to help clear those mines. Maybe they can entice GB and France to help (they actually have mine sweeping ships, which we don’t anymore).

Which is further suggestion that Iran didn’t do much mine laying, if any. How did they expect to change the batteries on their contact mines, in Omani waters, after the shooting started?

BTW. Our last mine sweepers and choppers were decommissioned in favor of anti-mine packages for our littoral combat ships. Which only a small number were ever built. Stupid decision by our Navy, likely more concerned, at the time, about DEI and transgendered sailors, than effectiveness.; 4/11/26, 9:16 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: “Nautical channel in the Strait of Hormuz is in Omani territorial waters, not Iranian”

“Interesting. I just assumed (or was told) it was in Iranian waters”

Old channel, which is supposedly inedible, is in Omani waters. New channel, that is supposedly not mined, is in Iranian waters. But you end to get Iranian permission, and pat a tariff to transit it. Except how are they going to impose that?; 4/11/26, 9:22 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: “Nautical channel in the Strait of Hormuz is in Omani territorial waters, not Iranian”

“Interesting. I just assumed (or was told) it was in Iranian waters”

Old channel, which is supposedly mined, is in Omani waters. New channel, that is supposedly not mined, is in Iranian waters. But you need to get Iranian permission, and pay a toll, to transit it. Except how are they going to impose that?; 4/11/26, 9:23 PM
Original Mike said...: "Old channel, which is supposedly mined, is in Omani waters. New channel, that is supposedly not mined, is in Iranian waters."

It sounds like the US Navy is in the process of clearing the channel. The one everybody used. I hope that's true.

Let's not sweep under the rug that the Iranians mined the territorial waters of another country. Supposedly. Personally, I think it's all talk, but we'll see.; 4/11/26, 9:31 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: The Art of the Deal.
“We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms,” Vance said

That said, expecting results after 21 hours of negotiations is ludicrous. The JCPOA took 20 months to negotiate. Sounds like this round of negotiations is over.; 4/11/26, 9:40 PM
Original Mike said...: "Sounds like this round of negotiations is over."

Fine.
Finish the job.; 4/11/26, 9:42 PM
Original Mike said...: Personally, I found the idea of "negotiations" nonsensical. The Iranians are never going to give us voluntarily what we, what the world, needs. Stop being a bunch of terrorists.; 4/11/26, 9:45 PM
Original Mike said...: Gee, what happened to "Trump is going to let Iran keep its nuclear program" and "Trump is going to let Iran control the Strait"?

So much bullshit, Rich. I don't know how you are able to breath.; 4/11/26, 9:48 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Trump has someone to blame now.; 4/11/26, 9:55 PM
Original Mike said...: So much bullshit.; 4/11/26, 10:01 PM
Jim at said...: is a drooling fool.

No need to announce yourself. We already know.; 4/11/26, 10:18 PM
Rustygrommet said...: No? Freder?; 4/12/26, 7:16 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: That said, expecting results after 21 hours of negotiations is ludicrous. The JCPOA took 20 months to negotiate. Sounds like this round of negotiations is over.

Yeh. It was pretty intense negotiations. How many pallets of cash was Obama going to give them? And how could they set up verifications that looked good on paper, but were easy for the Iranians to evade? Oh, and how to go about it so that it looked like they were doing work, when it was all for show?

The JCPOA sucked, from our point of good. We got nothing, the Iranians didn’t ever really stop enriching uranium. Which meant that shipping them pallets of cash was the whole point of the agreement. Pallets of cash utilized to fund terrorism throughout the Middle East. And make the State Dept look like they were actually doing something, when, of course, they weren’t.; 4/16/26, 3:56 AM