Tanker Attacks Deepen Near Hormuz as US Quietly Clears Mines

The tanker war between the United States and Iran has escalated, with disruption in the Strait of Hormuz deepening in recent days. The Strait is the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which a large share of the world's seaborne oil passes. In response, the US Navy has run a covert mission to dispose of explosives in the channel, using divers, boats and robots on night-time trips, according to a Financial Times account of the operation. The scale of the response signals how seriously Washington is treating the threat to a chokepoint that oil shipments depend on. What remains unresolved is how long the disruption will last and whether attacks on tankers continue or spread. Any prolonged closure or slowdown of traffic through the Strait would ripple through global oil markets and shipping insurance costs.