Daniel Wolfram
Trump has declared a major victory in the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iranians are disputing the United States military’s account of the mine-clearing events.
Ever since Donald Trump and the US military began their full-scale military operation against Iran, victories have been hard to come by.
The Iranian government has become more hardline, while an essential waterway has been closed off, impeding oil delivery.
But now it seems like a major accomplishment might help the US against the Hormuz predicament.
Removing the mines
The United States military claims it has reached a major milestone in the Middle East. The Navy cleared explosive hazards from key shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, officials said. The announcement follows months of restricted passage and Iranian control of the strait.
The commander of US Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, announced the update in a video posted online.
“We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines, thanks to the incredible work of the US military,” Cooper said.
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Zero-tolerance policy
The announcement came right after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the US Navy had cleared the explosives. He then warned that any attempt to re-arm the shipping routes would face swift retaliation.
“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump posted. He added that satellite and space tracking is monitoring the area constantly.
“Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait. There is a zero-tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect,” Trump declared.
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Iran pushes back
Despite those bold claims, the assertions could not be independently verified. Daily ship traffic through the narrow waterway has plummeted from nearly 140 vessels a day down to a handful since fighting began on February 28.
Officials in Tehran quickly rejected the American account. Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, accused the Trump administration of simply trying to calm energy markets.
“The Strait of Hormuz is closed both because of the presence of mines and because of our military actions. If America is making this claim, why is not a single vessel passing through?” Gharibabadi said. He added: “These remarks are propaganda intended to create calm in global energy markets. No one has accepted these claims.”
