The United States military ended a month-long period of relative calm in its ongoing conflict with Iran on Sunday, launching strikes against military positions on Larak Island. Officials stated the operation was a “limited, precise action” intended to neutralize Iranian rocket launchers that the US alleged were being prepared to deploy sea mines within the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins reported that the US military, which maintains a blockade on Iranian ports in the region, observed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) preparing to launch rockets equipped with sea mines. In response to the strikes, Iran’s leadership condemned the move as an “act of aggression.” The IRGC subsequently launched retaliatory attacks against two US army bases located in Jordan.
The IRGC stated that both its personnel and civilians were killed during the US operation. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that at least two people died and two others were injured in the strikes.
The US assertion that Iran intends to use rockets for mine-laying has drawn scrutiny from military analysts. Harlan Ullman, a retired senior US naval officer, described the claim as “implausible.” He suggested that while the US might have intelligence regarding Iranian plans to use ship-based launchers for new mines, the focus on rocket-based deployment may be an attempt to downplay other threats. Ullman noted that the impact of a rocket hitting water would likely cause significant damage to any mines it carried, making the method appear highly novel and questionable.
Despite this skepticism, Iran has previously showcased its potential to use missile systems for such purposes. During naval exercises in January 2025, Iranian state television broadcast footage that appeared to show the IRGC utilizing the Fajr-5 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) to distribute mines. The Fajr-5, a 333mm medium-range system developed in the 1990s, is typically mounted on trucks and carries four rockets, each equipped with a 175kg fragmentation warhead. While primarily designed for ground-based artillery, its 75km range—and up to 130km for the newer Fajr-5c variant—would theoretically allow it to cover the entire Strait of Hormuz.
In theory, the rocket warheads could be replaced with sea mines. The process would involve the rockets flying over specific naval coordinates, opening their casings mid-air, and releasing the mines. Small parachutes or similar mechanisms would be required to slow the descent and ensure a soft landing in the water, preventing premature detonation. Once submerged, the mines could settle on the seabed or float just below the surface. This method could potentially overwhelm traditional minesweeping efforts while keeping Iranian vessels out of direct range of CENTCOM forces.
Historically, sea mines are deployed via specialized warships, submarines, or aircraft. Iran has traditionally relied on small, fast attack boats to drop explosives into the water. US President Donald Trump recently stated that CENTCOM had cleared the Strait of Hormuz of mines and warned that any vessels attempting to deploy new ones would be destroyed.
Clearing the strait of mines is a complex, slow-moving process that requires specialized equipment. The US Navy typically employs Avenger-class mine destroyers, which are constructed from materials designed to minimize magnetic signatures. The US also possesses its own aerial mine-laying capabilities, such as the Quickstrike mine. These are 2,000lb (907kg) bombs fitted with guidance and tail kits, which can be deployed by aircraft from distances of up to 25km. Modern versions utilize the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit to allow for high-precision drops from significant altitudes. The report also notes that but can mines really be laid using rockets. The report also notes that “They (Iran) have got a lot of options they could use to plant these mines. The report also notes that waiting to detect the magnetic signature or vibration of passing ships before detonating, they can be dropped to the seabed or moored slightly above the bottom. The report also notes that to clear Hormuz of mines to make it safe for general shipping, CENTCOM would have needed to launch a painstakingly slow operation to find and trigger controlled detonations of every single mine, experts say. The report also notes that high-impact tactics or asymmetric warfare, iran has long been known for its innovation in low-cost.
Source: Al Jazeera
