U.S. Clears Hormuz Mines

U.S. Central CommandCentral Commandtheater-level Unified Combatant Command of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for the broader Middle East said American forces cleared Iranian sea mines from internationally recognized transit lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, and Adm. Brad Cooper declared the shipping routes open. The operation involved Navy divers, Navy SEALs and aircraft after months of work to remove mines CENTCOM said Iran had placed in the waterway. The White House is maintaining a U.S. naval blockade that has driven Iranian crude loadings in August to about 260,000 barrels per day, down from 1.7 million bpd in August 2025. Iran’s IRGC says it still controls the strait, while commercial traffic remains below normal.