U.S. Clears Iran Mines from Hormuz Lanes
Admiral Brad Cooper announced that U.S. forces have removed sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz’s Traffic Separation Scheme, enabling 1,500 vessels to pass
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, released a video on X confirming that U.S. forces have cleared the internationally recognised shipping lanes of sea mines laid by Iran. The effort, carried out over several months, employed Navy divers, Navy SEALs and air power from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Cooper said the lanes are the long-standing routes that commercial shipping has historically used to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The clearance has enabled 1,500 vessels to transit the Strait, carrying some 750 million barrels of crude oil, Cooper added. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) records an average of 138 vessel transits per day in 2025 and notes that 37 U.S.-facilitated transits occurred on August 25-26. The figures match the stats reported by JMIC.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessels transited through Strait | 1,500 |
| Crude oil barrels carried | 750 million |
| Average daily transits in 2025 | 138 |
| U.S.-facilitated transits Aug 25-26 | 37 |
Cooper’s statement focuses on the Traffic Separation Scheme, not the entire Strait. He noted that the operation was “challenging and dangerous” but that the job was completed and that “international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building.”
Current Threat Assessment
The JMIC continues to warn that drifting or uncharted mines remain a danger in and near the Traffic Separation Scheme. Clearance and mine-surveying operations are ongoing throughout the Strait, and the overall threat assessment remains SEVERE. This indicates that while known mines have been removed, the broader waterway is not yet considered mine-free.
The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s earlier Truth Social post, in which he declared that the U.S. Navy had removed or detonated all mines from the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any vessel attempting to lay additional mines would be “immediately and systematically destroyed.” Trump’s statement also included a “Zero Tolerance” policy toward new mine placement and the phrase “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2026.”
Recent Incidents and Future Plans
On August 25, the tanker AL SALAM II was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting eastbound through the Strait. The projectile hit just above the waterline, creating a small hole and a fire that the crew extinguished; no injuries were reported. The incident was reported by UK Maritime Trade Operations and the JMIC.
Amid these developments, Iran and Oman are advancing a separate framework to restore safe navigation through Hormuz. The proposal includes a temporary joint navigation corridor, a joint mine-clearing project, and further negotiations over a permanent corridor and the future administration of the Strait. The initiative reflects the United States’ effort to increase commercial traffic after nearly six months of war and severe disruption at this critical chokepoint.
The U.S. forces’ clearance operation, detailed by Admiral Cooper, is a significant step toward normalising shipping through the Strait, but maritime authorities emphasize that the broader waterway still requires vigilance and continued mine-surveying efforts.
