The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed that it has cleared international shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz of naval mines and that the waterway is open to ship traffic.
Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said that US forces have been clearing shipping lanes of mines over the past few months using naval special forces divers and air support.
According to him, US forces have assisted nearly 1,500 commercial ships in safely passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and these ships have transported a total of nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil to global markets.
Cooper also claimed that since the resumption of the naval blockade against Iran in mid-July, 75 ships that attempted to circumvent the blockade have been turned back and three others have been disabled.
These claims come at a time when Iranian officials have said that control of the Strait of Hormuz is in the hands of the country and that it is not possible for ships to pass without Iran’s permission.
