RUSH TO A MINEFIELD: U.S. NAVY SCRAMBLES WARSHIPS ACROSS GLOBE AFTER GULF GAMBLE BACKFIRES
A high-stakes naval dash is underway as the U.S. races to assemble its largest mine-clearing force in decades pulling ships from across the globe to confront a growing संकट in the Strait.
Two Avenger-class minesweepers have departed Japan, an Independence-class littoral combat ship is steaming out of Singapore, and a massive expeditionary sea base has been spotted crossing the Indian Ocean. All are converging on the same volatile flashpoint.
The twist? Just last year, the Navy withdrew its dedicated mine-clearing vessels from the Gulf only to now send them back in a hurry.
With only four Avenger-class ships left in service, half the fleet is now in transit. These specialized, wooden-hulled vessels are uniquely built to hunt mines without triggering them.
Meanwhile, reports say Iran’s hastily laid mines have created a chaotic hazard even it may not be able to undo. Clearing them is painstaking, dangerous work requiring heavy air and naval protection.
For now, the Strait remains a deadly trap, with help still days away.