Clearing strait could take six months

A PENTAGON assessment said it could take six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian-laid mines, which could keep oil prices high, the Washington Post reported this week.

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Iran has all but blocked the vital waterway since the start of a war with the US and Israel, sharply driving up oil and gas prices and disrupting the global economy.

The strait – through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes in peacetime – has remained largely closed during a shaky ceasefire, with the US imposing its own blockade.

Even if hostilities end and the blockade lifts, it could take months to clear the waterway of mines, according to a Pentagon assessment, the Washington Post reported citing officials close to the discussion.