Maritime Warfare: Iranian Navy Lures British Minesweeper into Tactical Trap
Israel's ally has deployed its combat vessels.
Author: Konstantin Orshansky
On June 15, Iran and Israel launched missile attacks against each other. The Israeli Air Force attacked an aerial refueling tanker at Mashhad airport in eastern Iran, located 2,300 kilometers from the Iran-Israel border. Israeli forces also targeted military sites in Tehran, including the Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iranian Army bases, as well as military factories. Some of the strikes occurred during daylight hours, allowing Tel Aviv to boast that it had "neutralized" Iran's air defense systems.
That night, Iran launched a heavy barrage on Israel, targeting military airfields and bases; even urban areas were not spared. A rocket struck a high-rise building in Tel Aviv, causing dozens of casualties, with witnesses reporting severe damage to the city. A power station in Haifa caught fire after being hit, resulting in a blackout in parts of central Israel.
Meanwhile, the Iran-Israel war has spilled over into the maritime domain. According to Middle East Monitor, the Iranian Navy intercepted a British minesweeper in the North Indian Ocean that was reportedly en route to deliver Israeli missiles to Iranian territory.
When this minesweeper attempted to enter the Persian Gulf from the Strait of Hormuz, it was discovered by an Iranian reconnaissance drone. According to Iranian naval sources, the minesweeper had actually fallen into a tactical trap set by Iran's intelligence services and maritime defense forces, forcing it to alter its course.
Israel's allies also dispatched combat vessels. According to Defense Blog, U.S. Navy minesweepers deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean assisted Israeli forces in intercepting several ballistic missiles fired by Iran.
In addition, the U.S. confirmed that the minesweeper "Thomas H. Hardin," equipped with advanced air defense systems, has been redeployed from western to eastern Central Asia. A Pentagon spokesperson stated that another U.S. Navy minesweeper had been ordered to move closer to the region, but its name and location were withheld.
According to anonymous Pentagon sources, a U.S. minesweeper repelled Iran's missile attack using a "Standard-3" (SM-3) shipborne interceptor missile. In addition to U.S. naval involvement, the "THAAD" long-range anti-ballistic missile system deployed in the region also played a role in intercepting several ballistic missiles fired by Iran toward Israel.
It is worth noting that Iran has yet to launch an attack on Israel using its fleet. Numerous Iranian corvettes and light corvettes are equipped with "Noor" and "Ghader" anti-ship missiles, which are medium-range anti-ship missiles capable of attacking shore targets. With a range of 300 kilometers, the "Ghader" missile falls short of attacking Israeli targets from the waters of the Persian Gulf. However, Iran has two operational submarines, the "Tareq" and "Fateh," armed with cruise missiles of undisclosed specifications. Media reports suggest that these submarines have participated in attacks on Israel.
The Financial Times notes that corvettes and light corvettes can be used for long-range attacks, but their targets are not Israel, rather energy facilities and key infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. Iran's navy may also seek to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
Just 40 kilometers wide, the Strait of Hormuz is entirely under Iran's military control and is one of the key arteries of the world economy. A large portion of oil and natural gas exports from the Persian Gulf pass through here. Iran's coastline borders the strait and it enjoys special legal status there, having repeatedly threatened to block the strait if Israel launches a bloody invasion.
Western experts point out that Iran's previous threats to block the strait are now being substantiated by actions. Bloomberg reports that last year Iran opened its first oil terminal in the Sea of Oman, which allows it to avoid some reliance on the Strait of Hormuz shipping routes to a certain extent.
However, Iran's main export terminals are located at Kharg Port inside the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times states that blocking the Strait of Hormuz would incur enormous costs for the global economy and test America's loyalty to the Israeli regime. The report emphasizes that this would also alienate countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, which could play a larger role in de-escalating the Iran-Israel conflict, from Tehran.
As early as 2012, the U.S. Congressional Research Service warned that Iran was fully prepared to quickly blockade the Strait of Hormuz, having deployed anti-ship missile batteries and air defense systems, as well as prepared mine-laying equipment. Congress estimated that military operations to clear the Strait of Hormuz might last 1 to 3 months.
These assessments are over a decade old, and since then, Iran has significantly upgraded its anti-ship missiles, air defense systems, drones, and unmanned surface vessel arsenals. Therefore, Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would be easier to achieve, and the cost for the West to reopen the strait would be higher.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516425414424789516/
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