'Death Valley': What Are The Deadly Sea Mines Being Laid By Iran In Strait Of Hormuz?

Tehran: Iran has been laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war with Israel and the United States of America, Western media reported. The deadly move by the Middle Eastern country has raised grave concerns since the strait is a critical maritime corridor in Iran through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

The sea mines have raised fears about the possible transformation of the strait into a ‘death valley’ and risking the safety of commercial shipping and oil transport.

What Are Sea Mines?

Sea mines are underwater explosive devices designed to damage or sink ships. They work almost like the land mines and remain hidden in the water until a vessel passes close enough to trigger them, following which they detonate, destroying the ship. The sea mines can be triggered even when it comes in contact with a ship’s hull or through proximity-based systems that detect pressure created by passing vessels.

These mines can be deployed in multiple ways. Some are simply dropped into the sea where they float and drift until they hit a ship. Others are moored to the seabed with cables and anchors, allowing them to remain in specific locations for long periods.

US Eliminates 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Vessels

The sea mines is set to restrict maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz and is also likely to exert economic pressure on Iran's enemies.

The US military claims to have eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump demanding Iran to immediately remove any mines ⁠deployed in ​the strait. He warned the Middle Eastern country of military consequences if it failed to remove the sea mines.

Israel-Iran War

The United States of America and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran on February 28 in a massive military operation, codenamed ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ by Israel. Iran retaliated and launched attacks on US military bases located in different countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Iran codenamed its retaliation 'Operation True Promise IV'.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, “This operation against the positions of American-Zionist terrorists in the heart of the occupied territories and American terrorist bases began with massive explosions under the blessed code name 'Ya Hassan ibn Ali (peace be upon him)'.”

The war has entered its 13th day today (March 12).

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