The top US commander for the Middle East, Admiral Brad Cooper said that American forces have cleared Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, after Washington’s allies expressed doubts about similar cl
Cooper, head of US Central Command, said in the three-and-a-half-minute video released Thursday night that “over the past few months, our forces meticulously and quietly” cleared the international shipping lanes of mines. The work was carried out by Navy divers and SEALs, as well as aircraft.
“The circumstances were challenging and dangerous, to say the least, but we got the job done,” Cooper added in the video, which included a detailed map and a diagram. “Bottom line, today, international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building.”
On Wednesday, Trump called Hormuz — which links the Persian Gulf to global markets — “a very functioning strait,” while repeating his claim that no mines remained.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US had guided 130 million barrels of oil out through Hormuz over the past 14 days, according to a post on X. Bessent is leading an effort to try to isolate Iran’s economy with a wave of sanctions and curbs in a bid to force Tehran’s capitulation.
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