US CENTCOM chief: Main shipping lanes in Strait of Hormuz clear of naval mines

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), visited the Strait of Hormuz on October 25 and confirmed that the main shipping lanes through the strait are free of naval mines.

During an aerial tour aboard a US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter over the international waterway, Cooper reviewed the current operational environment.

CENTCOM reported that more than 3,000 commercial vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past six months with support from US Central Command forces. In addition, over 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil have been exported through the strait since the summer.

Cooper stated, "We continue to stand alongside our Gulf partners and the maritime shipping sector. This visit reaffirms our steadfast commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz."

He added that the main lanes in the strait remain clear of Iranian naval mines thanks to US military efforts, highlighting ongoing cooperation with US government agencies, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the maritime shipping industry to ensure the continued flow of commercial traffic.

A CENTCOM statement explained that momentum in the region has grown following the successful clearance of international shipping lanes in the strait from naval mines laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

During the visit, Cooper met with US personnel involved in mine-clearing operations and thanked them for their dedication and commitment to their mission.

The statement noted that over 95% of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months have sailed safely despite what it described as "unjustified aggression" by the Revolutionary Guard, calling this evidence of US and regional partners' control over the international waterway.