A US intelligence assessment suggests it could take up to six months to fully clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines allegedly deployed by Iran, according to a report by The Washington Post.

US defense officials briefed lawmakers this week, saying such an operation is unlikely to begin until the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran ends. Members of the House Armed Services Committee were told on Tuesday that the prolonged timeline could keep global gasoline and oil prices elevated, potentially through upcoming US midterm elections.

The assessment indicated that Iran may have deployed 20 or more mines in and around the strait. Some of the mines were reportedly floated remotely using GPS technology, making them difficult to detect, while others were believed to have been placed by small boats operated by Iranian forces.

The disclosure was made during a classified briefing to lawmakers. However, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell pushed back on the reports, describing them as “inaccurate.”

“As we said in March, one assessment does not mean the assessment is plausible, and a six-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz is an impossibility and completely unacceptable to the (Defense) Secretary,” he said, without providing an alternative timeline.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said there is “no time frame” for ending the conflict with Iran.