Mine-Sweeping Drones Don’t Eliminate Risks for Clearing Hormuz

Mine-clearing drones like those touted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as a possible way to ease Iran’s grip on shipping have serious limitations that prevent them from materially changing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

While such autonomous mine-hunting vessels keep human operators out of the minefield, the ships controlling the drones would have to operate close enough to the area that they would most likely be within range of Iranian anti-ship missiles.

Iran has vowed to keep the strait closed to trigger higher energy prices as part of its retaliation against the US and Israel for starting ...