US Start Ops To Clear Iran-Laid Sea Mines In Strait Of Hormuz, 2 Warships Cross Crucial Energy Chokepoint
“USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,” Pete Hegseth said.
- World News
- 3 min read
Washington: Amid the historic Islamabad talks, in which Iran and the United States are holding direct talks with one another for the first time since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the U.S. military said that two of its warships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, as part of a plan to start removing mines from the strategic chokepoint to make way for global oil trade.
“USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,” US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a post on X.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
The US military command also shared that additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.
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It also said on Saturday that it had started “setting conditions" for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Struggles To Locate Its Sea-Mines
Iran is reportedly facing an unexpected setback in the Strait of Hormuz, as it struggles to locate naval mines it had deployed earlier. As per multiple reports citing US officials and intelligence assessments, Iran had laid sea mines in the narrow shipping corridor amid escalating tensions in the region. However, Tehran is now unable to precisely track the location of several of these mines, complicating efforts to safely reopen the passage.
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This has reportedly delayed attempts to restore normal maritime traffic, as both commercial vessels and naval forces face heightened risks. Experts have warned that unidentified or drifting mines could pose a serious threat to tankers and cargo ships navigating the waters.
What Trump Said On Hormuz
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump assured the world in a Truth Social post that the Strait of Hormuz will “soon be open and even boasted that empty oil tankers are approaching the US coast to ”load up".
Trump's post comes in the back of recent reports that Iran would be levying toll fees on vessels passing through the strategic chokepoint, something which is against international sea laws.
Meanwhile, shipping data showed that three supertankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday marking what appeared to be the first vessels to exit the Gulf since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal, Reuters reported.
Islamabad Talks
The development comes amid ongoing talks in Islamabad between the two warring nations. While the American delegation includes JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the Pakistani delegation includes Mohsin Naqvi, the interior minister, and Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister and deputy prime minister.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has termed this historic talks as "make or break" negotiations. Held under intense security, the summit aims to stabilise a fragile ceasefire and navigate the future of regional security.