Completely clearing the Strait of Hormuz of mines planted by the Iranian military could take six months, and such an operation is unlikely to be carried out before the end of the US war with Iran, the Pentagon says. Such estimates mean that the economic consequences of this war could last until the end of the year or longer, writes WP.

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A senior US Department of War official made the assessment during a closed briefing on Tuesday, April 21, for members of the House Armed Services Committee.. The timing, which has caused disappointment among both Democrats and Republicans, is the latest signal that gasoline and oil prices could remain high long after any potential peace deal is reached..

Apart from the economic ones, this could also have significant political implications in the US - especially for Republicans as the midterm elections approach in November.. Polls show US President Donald Trump's decision to go to war is unpopular among most Americans and has even split his political base: a significant portion of Trump's supporters voted for him in part because of repeated promises to avoid military conflicts abroad and focus on domestic issues..

On Wednesday, April 22, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline in the United States was $4.02, down from $2.98 just before the war with Iran broke out in February.. Trump himself has made conflicting statements about prices: This month he said prices " US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that perhaps only at the end of September a gallon of gasoline in the United States will again cost three dollars..

Lawmakers were told Iran likely has two dozen or more mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to three officials who spoke to WP on condition of anonymity.. Some of the mines were placed remotely using GPS technology, making them difficult for US forces to detect.. Other mines are believed to have been planted by Iranian forces from small boats..

The Pentagon refused to answer a question about assessing the timing of demining.

“By choosing to publish these false allegations, the Washington Post made it clear that it values \u200b\u200badvancing its own agenda over the truth,” said US defense spokesman Sean Parnell..

The blockage of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has become a constant source of tension in this war, with Iran announcing the closure of the important waterway and even attacking some ships, dealing a blow to the global economy and the Trump administration. Before the war, about 20% of world oil flows passed through the strait. Countries that rely heavily on energy from the Middle East include Japan, South Korea, China and other Asian countries..

Iran began laying mines in the strait in March as US and Israeli forces continued their bombing campaigns.. The Pentagon announced attacks on Iranian ships that could lay mines.

CNN reported in March, citing intelligence estimates, that Iran could block the strait for one to six months, with mines a key factor. Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, told the TV channel at the time that “a six-month blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is impossible and absolutely unacceptable” for the United States..

It's unclear what the US military's plan is for the mine clearance operation.. The possibility of involving divers-sappers, as well as the use of helicopters and drones, is probably being considered.

Some merchant ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz this month during the truce, but shipping came to a halt again over the weekend after Iranian forces opened fire on tankers and again announced the closure of the waterway..

Columbia University research fellow Richard Nephew said a six-month deadline to clear the strait would likely cause turmoil in oil and gas markets, given concerns from insurers and shipowners..

" The mines may not lead to a complete disruption of traffic, but the consequences of partially making one of the two lanes unusable for navigation could be significant,” Nephew said.

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The Strategy XXI Center's Expert Group analyzed how a new war in the Middle East is rewriting the rules of the global economy and who will pay a high price and who will benefit in the article "