Iran deploys more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, sources say

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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy laid more https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/iran-war-mines-strait-of-hormuz" target="_blank">mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of the issue.

Why it matters: The military standoff in the world's most important https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/oil-companies" target="_blank">oil chokepoint is escalating, with Iran laying mines and attacking commercial ships on one side and the U.S. tightening its naval blockade on the other.

The big picture: New mines in the strait could deepen what the International Energy Agency has already called the https://www.axios.com/2026/04/10/oil-iran-war-trump" target="_blank">largest oil supply disruption in the history of the global market — bigger than the 1970s oil shocks.

  • Roughly 20% of the world's seaborne oil passes through the strait in peacetime.

    Traffic has collapsed to single digits on most days, down from more than 100 ships daily.

  • This is the second time Iran has mined the strait since the war began.

    It remains unclear whether all the mines from the first round have been found and cleared.

Behind the scenes: The U.S. military detected the Iranian mine-laying operation and has been tracking it closely, the sources said.

  • The U.S. official said the U.S. knows how many new mines Iran has deployed but declined to provide the number.
  • The White House declined to comment on intelligence matters.

State of play: The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and its strike group arrived Thursday in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.

  • It will be the third U.S. aircraft carrier in the region — tightening the naval blockade on Iran and giving Trump more military options if he decides to resume the war, sources said.
  • CENTCOM said Thursday it has redirected 33 vessels since the blockade began.

What to watch: U.S. officials say the Navy is operating underwater drones in the Strait of Hormuz for mine-clearing operations

  • Trump said Thursday he has ordered that effort "to continue, but at a tripled up level!"

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US-Iran standoff escalates in Hormuz