Key facts
- US Central Command (Centcom) announced Thursday that its forces have cleared Iranian-laid sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz.
- Centcom Commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated that internationally recognized transit routes in the Strait are now open and free of Iranian sea mines.
- US forces assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels in transiting the strategic waterway in recent months.
- Cooper stated that Iran has exported zero oil from its shores since the US naval blockade resumed in mid-July.
US Central Command (Centcom) announced Thursday that its forces have successfully cleared Iranian-laid sea mines from the internationally recognized shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global trade route. Centcom Commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated that the transit routes are now open and free of Iranian sea mines, calling the operation a major milestone.
Cooper explained that the cleared routes are part of the Strait's traffic separation scheme, directing vessels through the narrow waterway. He noted that US forces have assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels in transiting the Strait in recent months, transporting approximately 750 million barrels of crude oil to global markets. The operation involved Navy divers, Navy SEALs, and air assets from multiple branches of the US military.
Simultaneously, Cooper stated that Iran has been unable to export oil from its shores since the US naval blockade resumed in mid-July. He reported that thousands of American servicemembers, operating with over 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft, have supported the blockade, turning around 75 vessels attempting to breach it and disabling three that failed to comply. Cooper emphasized that no ships have entered or left an Iranian port without US authorization, with exceptions made only for humanitarian reasons.