The US Central Command announced that international shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz are now open to navigation after US forces removed Iranian sea mines from them.
CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said that US forces had successfully removed Iranian sea mines from recognized international shipping lanes, confirming that the lanes are open and experiencing increasing momentum.
Cooper explained that the mine-clearing operation involved divers from the Navy and naval commandos, along with air elements from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.
He noted that in the past few months, US forces have helped about 1,500 commercial vessels to cross the strait, carrying approximately 750 million barrels of crude oil.
Cooper stated that since the United States reinstated the naval blockade last July, no ship has entered or left Iranian ports without the permission of the US authorities, with the exception of shipments permitted for humanitarian reasons.
The CENTCOM commander added that 75 ships that attempted to breach the blockade were forced to turn back, while three other ships were disabled for failing to comply with instructions.
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