The main shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz remain clear of Iranian sea mines, U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper said during an October 25 visit. CENTCOM said its forces had supported more than 3,000 commercial vessel transits over the past six months and helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since summer.
Cooper surveyed the waterway from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter and met with American service members who supported mine-clearance operations. The command said U.S. forces had cleared international shipping lanes of mines laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Gulf partners and the shipping industry,” Cooper said. “This visit underscores our strong commitment to continued freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Cooper thanked the personnel involved in the clearance mission for their continued commitment and dedication. He said keeping commercial traffic moving remained a priority for U.S. forces working with regional partners and the shipping industry.
“Today, primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear of Iranian sea mines thanks to incredible efforts by our people,” Cooper said. “We remain intensely focused on keeping commercial traffic flowing as we work with our teammates in the U.S. interagency, Gulf Cooperation Council, and shipping industry.”
CENTCOM said more than 95% of ships navigating the strait in recent months had passed through safely despite aggression by the Revolutionary Guard. It said those transits demonstrated that the United States and its regional partners controlled the international waterway.
