The U.S. military has cleared Iranian sea mines from internationally recognized transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, marking a major step toward restoring one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. The announcement came late Thursday after months of intensive mine-clearing operations across the strategic waterway.
In a video posted to social media Thursday evening, Cooper said the U.S. military “successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” The mines had been blocking the 33-kilometer chokepoint since early in the six-month U.S.-Israel war on Iran that began in late February.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply—approximately 20 million barrels per day—and carries nearly one-third of global seaborne liquefied natural gas and petroleum gas flows. Any disruption to this chokepoint reverberates across global energy markets and supply chains. Prior to the war, about 100 vessels transited the strait daily; by mid-August, that figure had collapsed to just five vessels per day, representing a 95 percent drop, according to Al Jazeera’s analysis of maritime traffic data through August 23.
The mine-clearing operation itself has been extraordinarily complex. In early April, the Pentagon warned that clearing the estimated 80 Iranian mines could take six months, requiring underwater drones and conventional minesweepers to search the seafloor methodically. By July, the Italian defense ministry noted that dozens of mines remained, each requiring careful detection and removal to avoid triggering explosions that could damage vessels or injure personnel.
The disruption has driven sharp increases in energy costs worldwide. In the United States, the average price of a regular gallon of gasoline stood at about $4.10 late Thursday, up from roughly $3.21 a year earlier, according to AAA data cited by The Hill. At least 145 countries have reported petrol price increases since the conflict began, with some nations experiencing rises of 50 percent or more. Myanmar, Bhutan, and Cuba saw the largest increases, each exceeding 50 percent.
The blockade has had uneven impacts on global ports. Kuwait, which relies entirely on the Strait of Hormuz for maritime access, saw daily port calls drop 86 percent. The United Arab Emirates fell 69 percent, and Qatar, Iraq, and Bahrain each saw declines of 66 to 68 percent. Saudi Arabia fared somewhat better, down only 15 percent, thanks to its network of pipelines and access to Red Sea ports.
On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent escalated pressure on Iran’s economy by issuing a global warning that countries dropping all financial ties with Tehran would avoid being barred from the U.S. dollar system—part of a campaign called “Operation Economic Outcast.” The campaign has been promoted as a financial “D-Day” comparable to the American invasion of Normandy in World War II.
The reopening of the strait to cleared shipping lanes could ease the global energy crisis, though shipping experts caution that full recovery will take time. In June 2026, when an interim agreement briefly lifted daily traffic to 20 vessels—still only one-fifth of pre-war levels—insurance companies and shipping firms remained cautious about resuming normal operations. The broader challenge extends beyond mine removal: even with safe passage, commercial shipping systems require confidence in long-term stability before returning to normal volumes, according to shipping analysts quoted by multiple news outlets.
Sources
- The Hill — CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper’s statement on mine clearing, gas prices, and Treasury Secretary Bessent’s warning
- Al Jazeera — Traffic data showing 95 percent drop from 100 to 5 vessels daily, petrol price increases by country, and port call disruptions
- Brookings Institution — Strait of Hormuz carrying 20 percent of global oil supply (approximately 15 million barrels per day crude and 5 million barrels per day refined products)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — Strait of Hormuz oil flow data averaging 20 million barrels per day in 2024
