The Pentagon has informed that removing sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz will take six months, according to a report by the Associated Press citing sources familiar with the matter. The information was shared during a closed-door briefing to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, where defense officials outlined the current situation in the strategic waterway.

The AP report noted that the briefing left lawmakers with more questions than answers, particularly regarding the cost, strategy, and objectives of the ongoing conflict with Iran. Lawmakers also raised concerns about an earlier attack on an Iranian school that reportedly killed around 165 people, most of them young schoolgirls. No responses were provided to these questions during the meeting.

The situation underscores ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. military operations and policy objectives in the region, as well as the humanitarian consequences of recent hostilities.