With reference to limpet mines, consider the following statements: 1. They are small, cone-shaped explosives designed to be attached to a ship's hull. 2. They are large explosives designed to sink a ship completely. 3. They were used to attack a tanker in the Suez Canal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Two limpet mines hit Panama-flagged tanker with 27 Indian crew in Strait of Hormuz

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims + Mains· 31 October 2026

Maritime security and asymmetric warfare: a GS2 case study on chokepoint vulnerabilities.

Why in news

A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker carrying 27 Indian crew members was hit by two limpet mines in the Strait of Hormuz, causing an engine room fire and paralyzing the vessel.

Background

The incident involved two limpet mines—computer-controlled, cone-shaped explosives designed to 'mission kill' by immobilizing a ship rather than sinking it. The IRGC claimed three tankers were halted due to 'incidents' in the Strait of Hormuz.

Facts for Prelims

S&TLimpet mines: Small, cone-shaped explosives designed to be attached to a ship's hull by divers or frogmen.
FactThe tanker hit in the Strait of Hormuz was Panama-flagged and carried 27 Indian crew members.
PlaceStrait of Hormuz: A critical maritime chokepoint where the incident occurred.
FactIRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps): The Iranian body that issued a statement regarding the halted tankers.

Prelims practice question

With reference to limpet mines, consider the following statements:

They are small, cone-shaped explosives designed to be attached to a ship's hull.
They are large explosives designed to sink a ship completely.
They were used to attack a tanker in the Suez Canal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)1 and 2 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (a) 1 only — Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: They are designed to mission kill by immobilizing a ship rather than sinking it. Statement 3 is incorrect: The incident occurred in the Strait of Hormuz.

For Mains

Q. Examine the security challenges posed by asymmetric maritime threats like limpet mines in critical global shipping lanes like the Strait of Hormuz.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Asymmetric warfare: Use of small crafts and divers to deploy computer-controlled explosives against large commercial vessels.
Maritime chokepoints: Vulnerability of global energy supply chains to non-state or state-sponsored sabotage in congested lanes.
Technological escalation: Shift from large-scale sinking to 'mission kill' tactics to paralyze maritime logistics.

Keywords: maritime security · asymmetric warfare · Strait of Hormuz · limpet mines · maritime sabotage · energy security

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