[image: IRGC speedboat with armed personnel patrolling near a cargo ship during a Persian Gulf National Day marine parade.]
[image: IRGC speedboat with armed personnel patrolling near a cargo ship during a Persian Gulf National Day marine parade.]*6* <nypost.com/2025/06/22/world-news/iran-orders-closure-of-strait-of-hormuz-putting-one-fifth-of-worlds-oil-supply-at-risk/>
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boat is sailing along the Persian Gulf near a general cargo vessel.NurPhoto via Getty Images
The channel is shallow, making it a particular target for underwater mining, while the narrowness of the strait makes passing vessels vulnerable to attack from shore-based missiles or interception by patrol boats or helicopters.
“Iran would most likely pursue <nypost.com/2025/06/22/world-news/iran-accused-of-abducting-journalists-family-in-retaliation-for-war-coverage/> a multi-layered asymmetric strategy rather than attempting an outright naval blockade,” Gregg Roman, Executive Director of the Middle East Forum told The Post.
“Their primary approach would involve rapidly deploying naval mines across the shipping lanes—this is their most effective tool for immediate disruption. They’d simultaneously launch anti-ship missiles from mobile coastal batteries like their Ghader and Nasir systems, targeting oil tankers from distances up to [185 miles].”
[image: IRGC speedboat with armed personnel patrolling near a cargo ship during a Persian Gulf National Day marine parade.]*6* <nypost.com/2025/06/22/world-news/iran-orders-closure-of-strait-of-hormuz-putting-one-fifth-of-worlds-oil-supply-at-risk/>
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boat is sailing along the Persian Gulf near a general cargo vessel.NurPhoto via Getty Images
The channel is shallow, making it a particular target for underwater mining, while the narrowness of the strait makes passing vessels vulnerable to attack from shore-based missiles or interception by patrol boats or helicopters.
“Iran would most likely pursue <nypost.com/2025/06/22/world-news/iran-accused-of-abducting-journalists-family-in-retaliation-for-war-coverage/> a multi-layered asymmetric strategy rather than attempting an outright naval blockade,” Gregg Roman, Executive Director of the Middle East Forum told The Post.
“Their primary approach would involve rapidly deploying naval mines across the shipping lanes—this is their most effective tool for immediate disruption. They’d simultaneously launch anti-ship missiles from mobile coastal batteries like their Ghader and Nasir systems, targeting oil tankers from distances up to [185 miles].”