Amid Iran talks, Strait of Hormuz dotted with about a dozen Iranian mines, U.S. officials say
CBSN
Washington — Amid Trump administration demands for Tehran to keep the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials have told CBS News that there are at least a dozen underwater mines through the vital passageway, according to current American intelligence assessments. Arden Farhi, Kathryn Watson, Caroline Linton, Aimee Picchi and Layla Ferris contributed to this report.
Washington — Amid Trump administration demands for Tehran to keep the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials have told CBS News that there are at least a dozen underwater mines through the vital passageway, according to current American intelligence assessments.
U.S. officials, who have seen current American intelligence assessments and spoke to CBS News under condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters, said the mines currently 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.
On Monday morning, President Trump backed off his threat to "obliterate" power plants if Iran continued to block the strait. Mr. Trump said his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner had engaged in negotiations with Tehran.
"That'll be open very soon, if this works," the president said of the strait and the latest ploy for diplomacy. Mr. Trump said the flow of oil in the strait would be jointly controlled by "me and the Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is."
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