U.S. forces identified at least 10 mines in Strait of Hormuz, officials say

A recent American intelligence assessment showed that U.S. forces identified at least 10 mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter who spoke to CBS News under condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters.

In March, CBS News reported that U.S. officials had assessed that there were at least a dozen underwater mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to American intelligence assessments at the time. The officials said then that the mines employed by Iran in the strait are the Iranian-manufactured Maham 3 and Maham 7 Limpet Mine. Another U.S. official said the count was less than a dozen.

CBS News was unable to determine what type of mines make up this latest assessment. Earlier this month, the U.S. military began directing commercial ships toward a route in the Strait of Hormuz farther from Iran that the Navy has spent weeks clearing.

The U.S. warned that transiting the normal route could be “extremely hazardous” because of mines laid in the strait by Iran. The Pentagon this month displayed a graphic saying Iran had laid new mines in the Strait of Hormuz on April 23.