The American army stated on Saturday, April 11th that two of its destroyers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in order to begin “setting the conditions” for demining this strategic waterway controlled by Iran, amid negotiations with Tehran. The two ships operated as part of a larger mission to ensure that the strait is completely cleared of marine mines previously laid by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the Centcom said in a statement on X.
The announcement comes at the beginning of peace talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan, during which the issue of traffic in the strait will be significant. Navigation remains obstructed in this strategic waterway for oil and global commerce, almost completely blocked by Iran since the start of the war, when its reopening was a condition of the ceasefire. “Today we have begun the process to establish a new passage, and we will soon share this safe passage with the maritime industry to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Centcom, in the statement. “Additional American forces, including underwater drones, will join the demining efforts in the coming days,” the admiral added. In a message on his Truth Social platform a few hours earlier, Donald Trump claimed that the United States had started “the process of blocking the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Benefit”
The operation was described as a “favor for countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” according to the American president. “Incredibly, they lack the courage or willingness to do the job themselves,” he assured.
According to Axios, citing an American official, the passage of American ships through the strait is intended to instill confidence in commercial vessels to also undertake the passage. A senior Iranian military official, as reported by state television, however, denied information that American ships had crossed the strait.
In his message on Truth Social, Donald Trump also criticized the media outlets that, according to him, claim that Iran is winning the war against the United States, “when in reality everyone knows they are LOSING, and losing BIG.” “The only thing in their favor is the threat that a ship could ‘hit’ one of their naval mines” in the Strait of Hormuz, he acknowledged, while claiming that “all of their 28 mine-laying ships are lying at the bottom of the sea” since the American strikes. Without providing details, the American president also stated that “empty tankers from many countries are all heading towards the United States of America to LOAD UP on oil.”
