The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) has informed Congress that it could take up to six months to completely clear the mines laid by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz. It also stated that such mine-clearing operations would be difficult to carry out before the war between the U.S. and Iran ends. This assessment suggests that the economic impact of the conflict could extend beyond the second half of this year. A senior Pentagon official reportedly shared this estimate during a classified briefing for members of the House Armed Services Committee on the 21st (local time). According to two sources, this timeline disappointed both Democratic and Republican lawmakers and is being taken as the clearest sign that gasoline and crude oil prices could remain high for an extended period, regardless of any peace agreement. In addition to the economic impact, analysis suggests it could significantly affect U.S. domestic politics, particularly the Republican party, ahead of the November midterm elections. Lawmakers were reportedly informed that Iran may have laid more than 20 mines in the Strait of Hormuz area, some of which were remotely deployed using GPS technology, making them difficult for U.S. forces to detect. The remaining mines are presumed to have been laid by Iranian forces using small vessels. The White House and the Department of Defense did not respond to inquiries about the assessment on the 22nd (local time), and U.S. Central Command also declined to comment.
