US Navy Launches Strait of Hormuz Mission as Warships Transit Key Oil Route

The United States Central Command confirmed Saturday that two US Navy warships have sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the start of an operation to remove Iranian sea mines from the critical waterway.

The move comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran and follows comments by President Donald Trump, who said the United States had begun “clearing out” the strait — a passage that handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments.

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the operation aims to restore safe navigation.

“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce.”

The guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy are leading the effort, with additional support — including underwater drones — expected to be deployed.

According to Axios, the operation was carried out without coordination with Tehran.

Trump, posting on Truth Social, framed the mission as beneficial to other global powers.

“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, calling it “a favor” to countries such as China, Japan and France that “don’t have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves.”

He added that Iran is “LOSING BIG!” in the conflict but noted that its sea mines remain a danger.

“The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may ‘bunk’ into one of their sea mines.”

Since February 28, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran began, Tehran has effectively restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, despite a ceasefire agreement that included provisions to reopen the route.

Efforts to de-escalate continued Saturday, with senior US and Iranian officials holding face-to-face talks in Pakistan, as the conflict continues to disrupt global energy markets and fuel geopolitical tensions.

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