Move draws attention as Hormuz mine fears rise
The U.S. Navy says two of its three Gulf-based warships equipped for mine countermeasures have traveled roughly 4,000 miles to Malaysia for what it described as a logistical stop. The relocation comes as concerns grow that Iran could deploy sea mines to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global energy exports.
Two ships seen in Malaysia, third tracked near India
Photographs showed the USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara at the Butterworth Container Terminal in Malaysia. A U.S. Fifth Fleet spokesperson confirmed both vessels were making brief logistical stops and said U.S. forces regularly conduct port calls in Malaysia as part of ongoing military cooperation, while declining to provide additional operational details.
A third vessel, the USS Canberra, was reported by ship-tracking data to be operating off the coast of India near Kerala.
What these ships are built to do
The three ships are part of a recent deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain intended to help protect the strait amid heightened tensions with Iran. They replaced older Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships that retired earlier this year.
The mine-countermeasure systems on these vessels include towed sonar equipment and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters used to detect and help neutralize underwater threats.
Analysts question combat suitability in a contested strait
Defense analysts said the move could reflect practical limits on how these ships can be used in an active conflict zone. One possibility raised was that the vessels are refitting, repositioning, or supporting other deployments. Another is that commanders may be cautious about exposing them to high-risk conditions.
Mine hunting and clearance is widely viewed as slow and methodical, and analysts noted that operating in the Persian Gulf can be challenging due to murky water and the presence of additional threats such as anti-ship missiles, drones, and fast attack craft.
Pressure on allies and questions about planning
The shift also comes as the U.S. has urged other countries to contribute naval assets to help stabilize shipping lanes if disruptions intensify, though many governments have been hesitant. Some analysts suggested the situation may indicate earlier assumptions about whether Iran would attempt to close or severely restrict Hormuz may have been misjudged, given the economic costs such a move could impose on Iran itself.