The Day: April 16, 2026

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0500

Iran mined the Strait of Hormuz in March. By April, according to U.S. officials cited by the New York Times, Iran had lost track of where it put them.

The ceasefire between the United States and Iran, now eight days old, requires the “complete, immediate and safe opening” of the strait, according to Al Jazeera. That was the condition President Trump set before negotiations could proceed. Iran agreed to it. The problem is that Iran may not be able to deliver. U.S. officials told the Times that Iran deployed the mines using small boats and decentralized forces, without a clear command chain and without systematic records of where the mines were placed, the Jerusalem Post reported. Some mines have drifted from their original positions. Neither the United States nor Iran currently has minesweeping equipment stationed in the strait to remove them.

Mahmoud Khalil on Sunday Evening Review

The Day: April 16, 2026