Iran loaded naval mines onto ships in the Persian Gulf in June 2025, which caused serious alarm in Washington due to fears that Tehran was planning to block the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important and busiest shipping lanes, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas pass. These actions followed shortly after the start of Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities on June 13 and were recorded by American intelligence.
Although the mines were loaded onto the ships, they were not placed directly in the Strait, and it remains unclear whether they were unloaded from the ships. Washington does not rule out that the loading could have been a show of force or a ploy by Tehran, which wanted to show the seriousness of its intentions, but was not going to actually block the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for oil and LNG supplies, especially to Asian markets including China, India, Japan and South Korea. Blocking it could lead to a serious escalation of the conflict and cause significant disruptions in global energy trade, as well as a sharp rise in oil prices.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait in response to Israeli and American strikes on its territory, but an official decision to block it has not been taken by Iran's Supreme National Security Council. At the same time, the United States and its allies continue to closely monitor the situation, assessing possible risks of further escalation in the region.
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