US Launches Mission to Clear Sea Mines in Strategic Strait of Hormuz
The operation was described as being carried out by the United States Central Command, with naval assets already active in the area as part of broader efforts to secure safe passage for commercial shipping.
Two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers, identified as USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy, were reported to have transited the strait and conducted operations in nearby waters.
The mission is said to be focused on reducing risks from sea mines allegedly placed in the region by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Officials involved in the operation stated:
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, April 11, as two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers conducted operations,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The objective, according to military leadership, is to establish a secure maritime corridor and eventually communicate a safe passage route to commercial shipping operators to ensure uninterrupted global trade. As one senior commander described:
“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,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said in the statement.
Additional support assets, including underwater drones and other specialized systems, are expected to join the operation in the coming days as the clearance effort expands.
Separately, remarks attributed to the President of the Donald Trump indicated that the United States had already initiated steps related to clearing the strait. He stated:
"We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others," Trump said, adding all 28 of Iran's mine-laying vessels were "lying at the bottom of the sea."
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes, making any military or security activity in the area closely watched by global markets and shipping stakeholders.
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