US officials say Iranian forces have laid more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the second such deployment since the conflict erupted.

Axios reported today, citing a US official and sources familiar with the situation, that Washington has detected Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces laying more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and is closely monitoring the situation and has specific numbers of the deployed weapons.

This move appears to be the reason President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy on April 23 to "shoot down and destroy any Iranian vessels laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, no matter how small they are."

Location of the Strait of Hormuz. Graphic: Guardian

This is Iran's second mine-laying operation in the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict erupted on February 28. Military experts estimate Iran laid fewer than 100 mines in the first operation, and it is unclear whether all have been found and defused.

The White House declined to comment on the information.

Commercial satellite imagery taken on April 22 shows dozens of Iranian speedboats and small vessels moving in formation in the waters off the city of Kargan, north of the Strait of Hormuz, but their purpose is unclear.

Maritime security experts estimate Iran possessed hundreds to thousands of these vehicles before the conflict. They were hidden in tunnels and coastal bases, as well as among civilian ships.

Iranian speedboats and small vessels off the coast of Kargan on April 22. Photo: Reuters

US officials claim to have destroyed more than 90% of Iran's mine stockpiles and the large vessels used to deploy them, but believe the enemy still has some weapons hidden along the coast. Iran is believed to still possess dozens of Gashti speedboats, each capable of carrying 2-4 mines.

Last month, President Trump declared that the US military would attack all mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. This issue has become a focal point as the US President seeks to re-establish maritime traffic through the region, amid increasing pressure on the global economy due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Besides the risks to commercial ships operating in the area, mines in the Strait of Hormuz could delay efforts to reopen this vital shipping lane.

Iranian speedboats travel through the Strait of Hormuz in May 2023. Photo: AP

According to CNN, US Department of Defense officials reported to lawmakers last week that it would take up to six months to completely clear the sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict with Iran ends. However, a Pentagon spokesperson said on April 22 that closing the Strait of Hormuz for six months is "unacceptable."

Admiral Bradley Cooper, commander of the Central Command, the unit responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, said last week that they are "fully capable" of clearing sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington has been conducting cleanup operations.