According to two US officials, Iranian forces have loaded waterlogs onto ships, a move that is believed to be aimed at blocking the Hormuz Strait.
The move has raised Washington's concerns that Tehran is preparing to blockade the Hormuz Strait - one of the world's most important shipping routes. The scattering of the waterway in this area will seriously affect global trade, as about a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies pass through this route.
The Hormuz Strait, 34km wide at its narrowest point, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. This is the main route for crude oil from OPEC members such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq and liquefied natural gas from Qatar, mainly to the Asian market.
Earlier, on June 22, the Iranian parliament was said to have approved the plan to block the Strait after the US bombed three of Tehran's key nuclear facilities. However, the final decision still belongs to Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait but has not done so.
World oil prices have fallen more than 10% since the US launched strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, as the market has not recorded significant disruptions in oil circulation.
The source did not disclose how the US collects the information, but said the data could come from satellite images, sensitive sources or both.
When asked about Iran's actions, a White House official said: "Thanks to the Midnight Hammer campaign, along with maximum pressure measures, maritime freedom in the Hormuz Strait has been restored and Iran has been significantly weakened."
The Pentagon and the Iranian delegation to the United Nations have not commented. Some say the act of being a liquid could be a signal to Washington to show the seriousness of Iran, without any intention to act.
Another possibility is that Iran is taking necessary preparations to prevent the occurrence of an order to close the Strait from the leaders.
