According to Internet reports, two U.S. officials revealed that the Iranian military loaded mines on ships in the Persian Gulf last month and was ready to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. intelligence detected the previously unreported preparations. They said Iran launched the relevant action shortly after Israel launched its first missile attack on Iran on June 13. Although the mines have not yet been deployed in the Strait of Hormuz, the move to load them suggests that Tehran may indeed be seriously considering closing one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. If implemented, this move will further intensify the already escalating conflict and seriously hinder global trade. It is also unclear whether the mines have been unloaded. Sources did not disclose how the United States determined that Iranian ships were carrying mines, but such intelligence is usually collected through satellite imagery, secret human intelligence, or a combination of the two.