Pentagon: Hormuz Mine Clearing Could Last Six Months, Disrupting Global Oil Supply Into Late 2026

Pentagon officials told Congress mine-clearing in the Strait of Hormuz could stretch six months, keeping the world's critical oil chokepoint impaired into late 2026. The waterway carries roughly 20–21% of global oil consumption. Short outages can be bridged with strategic reserves; six months cannot. South Korea, Japan, and India lack reserves deep enough to weather that duration, forcing structural shifts in energy markets and refining economics.