U.S. Navy deploys minesweepers and drones to clear Strait of Hormuz as experts warn effort could take months

President Donald Trump announced on social media Thursday that Navy mine sweepers were actively clearing the Strait of Hormuz and ordered the effort to "tripled up" levels. Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, confirmed to reporters that clearing operations were underway but did not provide details. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, when asked about a reported six-month timeline conveyed to lawmakers in a classified House Armed Services Committee briefing, declined to confirm the figure but did not deny it, saying the military would not "speculate on a timeline."

The two USS Avenger-class ships — USS Chief and USS Pioneer — were tracked sailing west from Southeast Asia as of Friday, according to Fox News Digital. Two littoral combat ships already in the region can deploy remotely operated underwater vehicles using sonar to locate mines. The Navy also has explosive ordnance disposal divers, helicopters equipped with sensors, and surface drones towing sonar systems available for the operation. Some mine-clearing equipment can be deployed from land, according to the Associated Press.

It remains unclear whether Iran has actually laid any mines. Iran has referred only to the "likelihood" of mines in prewar shipping routes, AP reported. Fox News Digital reported that multiple outlets have cited intelligence assessments suggesting Iran has laid at least a dozen mines, with some estimates higher. Experts cited by both outlets said U.S. forces must first verify whether mines are present at all. Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told AP that Iran's stockpile is estimated in the low thousands, consisting mostly of older Soviet-era models, with some newer Chinese or domestically produced variants. Salisbury said mines are likely resting on the seabed or moored beneath the surface, triggered by pressure or sound.

The operation unfolds against a backdrop of a broader U.S.-Iran standoff. The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, seized ships tied to Tehran, and is preparing for a second round of ceasefire talks in Pakistan. Iran has tied further negotiations to lifting the blockade, while Washington has insisted on security guarantees and reopening of the strait, according to Fox News Digital.

AP coverage emphasized the psychological dimension of the mine threat, quoting insurance broker Dylan Mortimer and expert Salisbury on how the mere possibility of mines is enough to deter commercial shipping even if lanes are eventually cleared. Fox News Digital led with a structural critique of the Navy's readiness, reporting that the service retired its four Bahrain-based dedicated minesweepers last year — ending a decades-long regional presence — and is now navigating a transition to unmanned systems. Defense analyst Bryan Clark of the Hudson Institute described the current moment to Fox News Digital as "a nadir of the Navy's mine sweeping capacity," while retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan said the shift to newer technology was not a concern for him.