The Iranian military loaded naval mines into vessels in the Persian Gulf last month. This was a move that heightened Washington’s concerns, Tehran was preparing to block the Strait of Hormuz following Israel’s strike at Iranian sites, Reuters alleged in an exclusive report.
Officials allegedly claimed that the previously unreported preparations detected by the US intelligence report came some time after Israel launched its first missile attack on Iran on June 13.
The load of mines not deployed in the strait suggests that Tehran may have been serious about closing one of the busiest transport lanes in the world.
Around a fifth of the global oil and gas shipments have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, and the blockage could have caused global energy prices to skyrocket.
Reuters could not accurately determine when Tehran loaded the mines during the Israeli-Iranian war.
It is also unknown if the mine has been unloaded.
The sources did not reveal how the US determined that the mine was placed on an Iranian vessel, but such intelligence is usually collected through satellite images, secret human sources, or a combination of both methods.
The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iran’s mission at the United Nations also did not respond to requests for comment.
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