No certainty mines have been laid in Hormuz, France's defence minister says

France said it has no certainty that mines have been laid in the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. media reports, according to Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin. She added that France is preparing for a possible demining mission, with naval assets being deployed to the region as precautionary measures.

May 20, 2026

John Irish/Reuters

No certainty mines have been laid in Hormuz, France's defence minister says

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 18, 2026.

Reuters

France has no certainty at this stage that mines have been laid in the Strait of Hormuz, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said on Wednesday after U.S. media reports that at least 10 mines had been identified in the area.

"At this moment, I have no certainty on the subject, but in any case we are preparing for the necessity to potentially remove mines," Vautrin told France Info radio.

Demining ships were being sent to the region as part of a potential future Franco-British-led mission in the area and France has one at its base in Djibouti, she said.

-John Irish/Reuters