【By Guancha Zhe Wang, Jiaqi Yuan】

After the U.S. air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, the situation in the Middle East quickly escalated, raising concerns about the possibility of Iran blockading the Strait of Hormuz.

On July 1st local time, Reuters, a British media outlet, quoted two U.S. officials who reported that the Iranian military had loaded mines onto ships in the Persian Gulf in June, which has increased Washington's concern about Tehran's preparation to block the Strait of Hormuz.

The two officials revealed that this previously undisclosed movement was detected by U.S. intelligence agencies and occurred after a certain time following Israel's first missile attack on Iran on June 13th. The U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately respond to the request for comment, and the Iranian mission to the United Nations also did not reply to the inquiry.

The report stated that although the mines have not yet been deployed in the strait, this move indicates that Iran may be seriously considering closing one of the world's busiest waterways. Such an action would further escalate the already intensifying conflict and severely hinder global trade.

The sources did not reveal how the U.S. determined that mines were placed on Iranian ships. The two also said that the U.S. government does not rule out the possibility that loading mines is a trick by Iran. They believe that Tehran may use this to make Washington believe its determination to close the strait, but actually has no such intention. Another possibility is that the Iranian military is simply preparing as a routine measure, ready to act immediately when ordered by the leadership.

When asked about preparations to respond to Iran's actions, a White House official said, "Due to President (Trump)'s excellent command of the 'Midnight Hammer' operation, the successful strike against the Houthi rebels, and the 'maximum pressure' policy, the Strait of Hormuz remains open, freedom of navigation has been restored, and Iran's power has been greatly weakened."

A container ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz on June 23. Visual China

According to Reuters, the U.S. Fifth Fleet, stationed in Bahrain, is responsible for ensuring commercial security in the region. The U.S. Navy typically deploys four mine countermeasure ships (MCM) in Bahrain, which are currently being gradually replaced by littoral combat ships (LCS) with mine countermeasure capabilities.

On June 21st, several days before carrying out the "Midnight Hammer" operation against Iran, all U.S. mine countermeasure ships were temporarily evacuated from Bahrain to prevent retaliation against the Fifth Fleet headquarters. President Trump confirmed on the evening of the 21st that the U.S. had "successfully struck" three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

On the night of the 23rd, the Iranian armed forces issued a statement announcing a missile strike on the U.S. airbase at Al-Udeid in Qatar in response to the U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. However, U.S. officials have not ruled out the possibility of further retaliatory measures by Iran.

According to a report by CNN on June 30, the underground nuclear facility in Fordow, which was bombed by the U.S., is still operational.

According to satellite images collected by Maxar Technologies on the 29th, there is continuous activity around the ventilation shafts and the craters caused by the explosion. The image shows "a excavator and several people located near the north side of the ventilation shaft above the underground facility, and a crane seems to be working at the wellhead/crater entrance."

Maxar also said that several other vehicles were found below the ridge, parked along the dedicated road leading to the facility.

David Albright, former nuclear inspector and current director of the Institute for Science and International Security, said that the satellite images of the Fordow facility show that "Iran is actively conducting operations at two ventilation shaft entrances that were hit by a large bunker-busting bomb (MOP)."

He analyzed that these operations "may include backfilling the craters, conducting engineering damage assessments, and likely radioactive sampling. The main ventilation shaft pit is still open."

Albright also posted on X, "We noticed that Iran quickly repaired the crater on the main access road within a few days. However, there is currently no indication that they are trying to reopen any tunnel entrances."

Satellite images of the Fordow nuclear facility collected by Maxar Technologies on the 29th. CNN

The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran, connecting the eastern Gulf of Oman and the western Persian Gulf. It is the only maritime route for oil from the Gulf region to be transported worldwide, and about one-third of global crude oil trade by sea passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) refers to the strait as a "critical oil chokepoint."

Iran controls the northern side of the Strait of Hormuz. In response to the attacks and pressure from the U.S. and Israel, on June 22nd, the Iranian parliament approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision rests with the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.

On June 23rd, European News reported concerns that the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important waterways in the world, and any blockade by Iran would pose serious risks to Europe and the global community, such as energy security threats, economic shocks, rising security and military tensions, and disruptions in shipping and trade.

In addition to oil transportation, the strait is also a major shipping channel globally. If it is disrupted, imports of raw materials, electronic products, and consumer goods to Europe may be delayed, thus affecting supply chains. Shipping insurance costs may surge, increasing costs for European businesses and consumers.

On June 23rd, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Iran not to close the Strait of Hormuz. She said, "I can assure you that the government is actively monitoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, and it would be foolish for the Iranian regime to make such a decision."

U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Rubio also issued a threat, saying that Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz would be "economic suicide."

He also urged China to advise Iran not to close the Strait of Hormuz. He urgently claimed, "I encourage China to call them, because they (China) heavily rely on oil from the Strait of Hormuz."

On June 23rd, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to questions about the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters are important international cargo and energy trade routes, and maintaining security and stability in the region is in the common interest of the international community. China called on the international community to increase efforts to de-escalate the conflict and prevent regional instability from causing greater impacts on global economic development.

"Regarding communication between China and Iran," Guo emphasized that China maintains communication with Iran on the current situation. Recently, Central Committee Political Bureau member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi. China is willing to strengthen communication with Iran and relevant parties to continue playing a constructive role in promoting de-escalation of the situation.

This article is exclusive to Guancha Zhe, and without permission, it cannot be reprinted.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522334357969748515/

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