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Last Updated:April 19, 2026, 16:41 IST
The US military is using a mix of manned and unmanned capabilities to scan for mines that may be blocking the narrow strait.
Turkish Navy SH-70 (S-70B SeaHawk) helicopters and mine and amphibious warfare fleet ships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya. (Representational image via AFP)
The United States military is deploying sea drones and other robotic systems to help clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report, as Washington seeks to restore commercial shipping through the vital waterway.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that the US Navy is using a mix of manned and unmanned capabilities to scan for mines that may be blocking the narrow strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes.
An unnamed US defence official said the effort forms part of a broader countermine operation aimed at reopening the route.
Military analysts told the newspaper that initial scans of the seabed could be carried out quickly using unmanned underwater vehicles. Once any mines are detected, specialised sea robots can be sent to destroy them.
Kevin Donegan, a former US Navy vice admiral, said a small shipping channel could be surveyed “in days not weeks" using such systems.
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
April 19, 2026, 16:41 IST
News world US Navy Deploying Robots To Sweep Sea Mines In Strait Of Hormuz: Report
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