US Navy Rushes Mine-Sweepers to Persian Gulf

0:00It's March 25th. This is Global News Today, your AI-powered source for world news. The U.S. Navy is rushing to bring two literal combat ships back to the Persian Gulf after maintenance in Singapore. These Bahrain-based vessels are equipped for minesweeping and are needed urgently amid rising tensions. A senior official says options for upkeep closer by are limited, so they want to cut down time on those ships sitting 6,300 kilometers away. Iran has ramped up threats to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. This follows the tax on nations hosting U.S. bases and the effective shutdown of the strait during the ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel. The mine threat escalated after Iran's defense council warned of various mine types, including floating ones from the coast. If the U.S. tries to. Blockade their key oil export island of Kharg. The ships had been at sea for extended operations, prompting the needed refits.

1:01While the ships are sidelined, the U.S. maintains mine countermeasures in the Middle East, with unmanned underwater vehicles, four Avenger-class ships, helicopters, and dive teams. Officials replaced older dedicated mineswebers with these more flexible combat ships. Efforts continue to wrap up the work fast and return the vessels to action, bolstering defenses in this critical waterway as the situation remains.