US Plans Mine Removal Operation in Hormuz: What You Need to Know About the Latest ‘Mahm’ Mines
Daniel Kim Views
The United States plans to launch mine‑clearing operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but officials say clearing the waters will take considerable time.
On April 16, The Guardian reported that Iran still holds at least 80 to 90 percent of its relevant forces, including small boats and mine‑laying vessels, and retains the capacity to lay additional mines if the conflict continues.
The exact number and locations of mines already laid remain unknown.
U.S. officials told The New York Times that Iranian authorities have not clearly identified the locations of mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Unlike conventional contact mines that detonate only when a ship strikes them, the mines Iran has deployed are reported to use magnetic and acoustic sensors to detect vessels and trigger their warheads without physical contact.
There are two main types: the fixed Maham 3, a roughly 300‑kilogram class mine (about 661 lb) rated for depths up to 100 m (about 328 ft), and the Maham 7, built for shallower water and designed to evade sonar detection.
The Guardian warned that while these mines can be deployed quickly and easily, clearing them is likely to be extremely difficult and dangerous.
A major risk is that U.S. forces conducting clearance operations could become targets of Iranian military action.
For that reason, U.S. officials are weighing the use of unmanned mine‑detection systems depending on how the situation develops.
U.S. forces may also employ airborne mine‑countermeasure systems launched from helicopters, towing sonar‑equipped underwater sensors to locate and neutralize mines.
But The Guardian noted that even with unmanned systems, U.S. ships or aircraft would still need to operate relatively close to the area to direct missions, leaving them exposed.
Reporter: Kim Ye‑rin
Audio: AI dubbing
Producer: Lee Jin‑gyun
#Iran #Israel #MiddleEastWar #Hormuz #Mines #USMilitary #Maham3 #Maham7
Yonhap News TV inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE jebo23
Lee Jun‑heum (humi@yna.co.kr)
Most Commented