European Hesitation Over Mine-Clearing Missions in Strait of Hormuz

European officials are reluctant to commit warships to mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz due to safety concerns, even as US President Donald Trump urges a swift reopening of the crucial shipping lane, according to Bloomberg.

A senior European official involved in confidential talks between the US and its allies described the negotiations on how to remove Iranian mines from the strait as highly complex, citing uncertainty over the operation’s execution. The official noted that the tight deadline set by Trump—by the end of the week—is causing some European countries to reconsider their participation.

The official explained that specialized mine-clearing vessels move slowly and generally lack defensive weapons, making them vulnerable to attacks.

Another European official added that the US lacks sufficient mine-clearing capabilities deployable in the Middle East and therefore requires assistance from its allies specifically in this domain.

Washington is testing the US-Iran agreement from two perspectives amid a split between Democrats, who favor former President Barack Obama’s deal, and Republicans, who support Trump’s approach.

During the G7 summit hosted by France, European leaders raised numerous questions about the nature of the agreements reached before agreeing to participate in mine-clearing and naval patrols. However, they have yet to receive satisfactory answers, according to informed officials.

In recent weeks, an increasing number of oil tankers have been navigating the Strait of Hormuz by approaching the Omani coast, often at night, while turning off their identification signals. The US provides guidance, coordination, and aerial support for these movements.

Omani officials warned commercial vessels last month to exercise caution after detecting an object suspected to be a naval mine within their territorial waters.

Iran was the main topic during the G7 leaders’ opening dinner, where Trump reportedly gave a lengthy explanation to his counterparts about the benefits of the agreement with Tehran, emphasizing that there would be no transit fees in the strait.

An official described the atmosphere of the meeting as candid and open, with leaders discussing Iran freely without relying on prepared remarks. Meanwhile, France continues ministerial-level communications with Iran to discuss agreement details but has not received clear responses.

President Trump insists that the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s energy supplies typically pass, will be reopened by Friday, though European allies remain skeptical.

A senior US official told Bloomberg that maritime traffic in the strait will increase gradually, estimating it may take about two weeks for shipping activity to rise significantly, and possibly longer to return to pre-February levels before US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Bloomberg characterized this timeline as a limitation on Trump’s optimism regarding the speed of restoring normal navigation. On Monday, during the leaders’ summit in Évian, Trump stated, “Ships have started to leave now, and by Friday the strait will be fully open,” adding that search efforts are currently focused on a limited number of mines already discovered.

However, officials warned that mines remain in the strait and that shipping companies vary in their assessment of the risk levels acceptable when transiting Hormuz.

Bloomberg reported that Iran likely deployed various types of mines, including bottom-moored mines resting on the seabed, tethered mines floating below the surface, and surface-floating mines.

Ben Siperly, a retired US Navy officer with experience in mine warfare and currently an executive at Havoc AI, said that locating and destroying all mines is a demanding task requiring confirmation that the entire area is free of hazards.

He explained that the maritime passage will be divided into sectors and examined using unmanned underwater vehicles equipped with sensors. Data collected by these vehicles will identify objects that are mines and require neutralization or destruction.

Siperly noted that the US no longer has fully dedicated mine-countermeasure ships after plans to retire Avenger-class vessels, though coastal combat ships can be outfitted with mine-clearing equipment, including unmanned underwater vehicles.

He added that some systems can detonate mines remotely by triggering their magnetic fuses, while others require destruction by explosive charges, either remotely or by divers.

“Mine detection and clearance are very slow and precise operations,” he said, emphasizing that the highest priority is ensuring the area is completely cleared, not the speed of completion.

Hundreds of ships stranded in the Arabian Gulf await the outcome of the anticipated agreement between Washington and Tehran, hoping for a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and resumption of navigation.

Experts indicated that the duration of the clearance mission depends on the number of mines and other factors, noting that Iranian cooperation and sharing of mine locations could accelerate the process.

Siperly said that manned ships and maritime drones will operate at speeds between 3 and 5 knots (approximately 3.5 to 6 miles per hour) during mine-clearing operations.

Given the size of the strait, the operation may require 30 days or more to reliably declare the passage free of mines, with the possibility of longer delays if obstacles arise.

He added, “One must always assume the possibility of an unplanned explosion,” explaining that even with the highest operational precision, there remains a risk of undetected, buried, or displaced floating mines.