Italy prepares minesweeper mission to clear Strait of Hormuz sea mines after US-Iran peace deal
Two Italian minehunters, Crotone and Rimini, are already stationed in Djibouti, ready to join a multinational effort to neutralize thousands of mines blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The mission hinges on a durable ceasefire and parliamentary approval.
G7 allies back mine-clearing operation
During the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany committed to sending naval assets to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, which carries roughly 20% of global oil and gas trade, was turned into a minefield by Iran during the crisis with the United States. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the multinational effort but stressed Rome would need a formal peace accord and a parliamentary green light.
We are ready to do our part, together with other partners and subject to necessary parliamentary authorization, to contribute to an international naval presence to accompany the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Italy's minesweeper force
The Italian Navy has already positioned two Gaeta-class minesweepers, Crotone and Rimini, in the port of Djibouti. They are currently attached to the EU's Aspides mission protecting Red Sea shipping. The vessels are built of amagnetic fiberglass to avoid triggering sea mines and carry sonar and remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) capable of identifying explosives up to 600 metres deep. Italy operates ten such specialist ships, making it one of the largest mine-countermeasure fleets in NATO; the United States Navy fields only five, and Washington lacks the capacity to clear the strait without European help.
- Italy
- 10 ships
- United States
- 5 ships
Conditions for deployment
Several steps remain before the mission can begin. Negotiators must first secure a durable ceasefire and a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran. The Italian government will then present the mission details to parliament for a vote. Once approved, around 500 Italian military personnel, including support crews from patrol vessel Raimondo Montecuccoli and frigate Luigi Rizzo, could deploy to the area. The timeline depends on diplomatic progress, and no date has been set.
Decades of mine-clearance experience
Italy's involvement in Hormuz builds on a long record of naval mine clearance. The Marina Militare helped clear the Suez Canal in 1974 and 1984, protected oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq "tanker war" in 1987–88, and swept mines from Gulf waters after the 1991 Gulf War. This institutional knowledge, combined with modern autonomous underwater vehicles and COMSUBIN combat divers, positions the force as a key asset for the Hormuz operation.
