Latvia to Deploy Troops for Strait of Hormuz Mine‑Clearance Mission

Latvia plans to send up to 20 military personnel to a multinational operation aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The deployment will consist of a Naval Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit equipped with autonomous mine‑countermeasure capabilities, which will operate as part of a broader diving team conducting mine‑clearance activities. Latvian staff officers and instructors will also be assigned to operational headquarters in coalition member states and in the area of operations.

The mission is coordinated with the United States Central Command, the United Kingdom and France, and is limited to mine‑clearance work, explicitly excluding any support for the United States as a belligerent in the conflict with Iran. The mine‑clearance effort is expected to last 12–16 months, with the parliamentary mandate set to remain in force until 1 September 2028.