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The Pentagon has informed congressional lawmakers that it could take up to six months to clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian mines.

Getting into it: First reported by the Washington Post, the estimate came out of a closed-door session with the House Armed Services Committee, where a top defense official walked members through what the cleanup would actually involve. Iran has reportedly planted upwards of two dozen mines in and around the strait (a mix of small-boat drops and remote-triggered devices riding on GPS signals, which is part of why tracking them has been such a pain in the ass). Tehran has also reportedly lost track of some of those mines, further complicating any clearance effort.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were reportedly pissed about the timeline, with some believing that gas prices will stay high through 2026 (even if a deal between the US and Iran is made soon).

Meanwhile, the situation in the region is deteriorating rapidly, especially after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized two container ships managed by Mediterranean Shipping Company (the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas), accusing them of operating without proper authorization. A third vessel was attacked after becoming stranded near the Iranian coast. Earlier the same day, a Revolutionary Guard gunboat fired on another container ship about 15 miles northeast of Oman, causing heavy damage to the bridge.

These attacks have led some to question Trump’s claims that the US wiped out Iran’s entire navy, noting that Iran’s fleet of fast-attack boats remains intact and central to its strategy for disrupting shipping in the narrow strait.

In addition to all of this, peace talks between the US and Iran are basically at a standstill after a second round of negotiations in Pakistan was scrapped when Iran informed Pakistani mediators at the last minute that it would not attend while the US blockade remains in place. Vice President Vance, who was set to lead the US delegation, stayed in Washington.

This all comes as Trump publicly claimed Iran privately wants the strait open because its closure is costing Tehran $500 million a day in lost oil revenue, while simultaneously warning that without a deal, the US would “blow up the rest of their country.”