[IDNFinancials] The United States has quietly withdrawn four Avenger‑class minesweepers from the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran and concerns over a potential conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.
The veteran US Navy vessels, long based in Bahrain under the Fifth Fleet, were moved out of the region using heavy‑lift transport ships as part of a naval force transition.
According to Hindustantimes, US officials described the move as part of fleet modernisation.
However, several analysts believe the withdrawal of the Avenger ships risks weakening mine‑clearing capabilities at a time when Iran has repeatedly threatened to lay mines and close the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical energy corridor.
As a replacement, the US is pushing the use of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).
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