Two U.S. warships transit Strait of Hormuz as mine-clearing operations begin, CENTCOM says
CENTCOM said the mission will add underwater drones as U.S. forces work to reopen a waterway that carries about one-fifth of global oil shipments.
- On Saturday, April 11, 2026, two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to begin mine-clearing operations, marking the first such passage since the war began on February 28, U.S. Central Command said.
- Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has disrupted energy markets since the war started. Tehran used sea mines to establish control, halting most commercial traffic.
- CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated, "Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage." President Donald Trump claimed all 28 of Iran's mine-laying boats are "lying at the bottom of the sea."
- High-Level peace talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations commenced Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, representing the first direct engagement in decades. Iranian state media denied the destroyer transit, highlighting ongoing diplomatic friction despite the mediated ceasefire.
- Additional forces, including underwater drones, will join the mine-clearing mission in coming days, CENTCOM said. These operations remain a central point of contention in negotiations as global energy markets monitor whether the strait will reopen.
314 Articles
314 Articles
U.S. Navy Launches Mine Clearance Operation in Strait of Hormuz to Secure Vital Shipping Lane
U.S. Central Command forces have begun operations to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, officials announced on April 11. Two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers, the USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and the USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), transited the strait and conducted operations in the Arabian Gulf as the initial step in a broader mission to ensure the waterway is free of sea mines pre…
US Destroyers Reportedly Enter Strait of Hormuz
As talks between Iran and the US were taking place in Pakistan Saturday, another notable development unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz. The US says two Navy destroyers passed through the strait, the first such transit of US warships since the war began, reports the Wall Street Journal . In a...
Iran confronted two US warships in the Strait of Hormuz, then both sides told very different stories about what happened next
The United States military command overseeing the Middle East has reported that two of its destroyers successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a sharp dispute between Washington and Tehran. US officials say the operation was part of a mission to clear sea mines and restore the free flow of international trade. But Iranian authorities have denied this, saying that any vessel moving through the area does so only under their contr…
Navy warships cross Hormuz Strait for mine-clearing work, US says
WASHINGTON — As U.S. and Iranian officials met to negotiate an extended ceasefire, two U.S. Navy destroyers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday to begin an operation to clear mines from the critical waterway, the Department of Defense said.
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