U.S. Navy Launches Mine Clearance Operation in the Strait of Hormuz
The United States military has formally begun clearing naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on April 11 that two guided-missile destroyers, USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), transited the strait and began operating in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mine clearance mission. Additional assets, including underwater drones, are expected to join the operation in the coming days.
“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,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of CENTCOM.
The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed to normal commercial shipping since late February 2026, following the mining of the waterway by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The strait carries approximately 20% of the world’s seaborne oil supply. Shipping traffic had dropped from over 130 vessels per day before the conflict to fewer than 10 in recent days.
A key complicating factor: U.S. officials told the New York Times that Iran itself lost track of the exact locations of many mines it deployed, having used a decentralized, small-boat operation with no clear command chain. Some mines were also placed in a way that allowed them to drift with sea currents, making their current positions uncertain.
Iran’s state media rejected the transit of the U.S. vessels as an unauthorized ceasefire violation and threatened to attack ships attempting to cross without Iranian approval. A senior Iranian military official denied the crossing had taken place. The U.S. military described the operation as a freedom-of-navigation mission through international waters, and confirmed it was not coordinated with Iran.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a key provision of the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement reached on April 8. As of today, U.S. and Iranian negotiators have convened in Islamabad, Pakistan, for peace talks led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Sources: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) official press release | Axios | Reuters | The New York Times | Military Times