Trump Says Strait of Hormuz Is Fully De-Mined as Space Force Watches ‘Every Square Inch’
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. Navy has cleared mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a significant step toward restoring safer commercial shipping through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Trump said he had been informed by the Navy that the mines had either been removed or detonated. U.S. officials separately confirmed that the Navy cleared the Traffic Separation Scheme, the central shipping lane running between Iran and Oman.
The president also delivered a direct warning to Tehran, declaring that any Iranian vessel attempting to place new mines in the waterway would be destroyed. Trump said the United States has established a “Zero Tolerance” policy against any effort to re-mine the strait.
Trump said the U.S. Space Force is now helping maintain constant surveillance over the region, declaring that America is watching “every square inch” of the Strait of Hormuz. He said surveillance efforts also extend to Pickaxe Mountain and three Iranian nuclear sites previously targeted by the United States.
The de-mining operation had been underway quietly for months. According to U.S. officials cited by Axios, the Navy recovered more than 100 objects suspected of being mines from the central shipping lane, while private contractors also assisted with the operation.
The development could have major consequences for global energy markets. Before the war, more than 20 million barrels of oil passed through Hormuz each day, representing roughly one-fifth of worldwide petroleum consumption. Preliminary tracking data showed traffic had fallen to around 5 million barrels per day Monday.
Trump administration officials have reported higher recent figures, however, with Energy Secretary Chris Wright saying the seven-day average of oil leaving the strait had climbed above 8 million barrels per day. At least 16 vessels reportedly traveled through the waterway during one recent 24-hour period.
The United States has been using the southern shipping lane near Oman to escort tankers through the Gulf while the central route was being cleared. Completing the mine-removal operation could now allow significantly more commercial vessels to use the strait, although security concerns remain.
Iran remains capable of threatening shipping despite the American operation. Analysts warn that Tehran possessed thousands of naval mines before the conflict and could attempt to deploy additional explosives, potentially forcing the Navy to conduct further mine-clearing operations.
The announcement also comes as Iran and Oman pursue their own negotiations over navigation through Hormuz. Officials from the two countries met in Tehran Tuesday and discussed establishing a temporary joint navigation corridor as well as longer-term arrangements for managing maritime traffic and security.
Those negotiations have not yet produced a final agreement. Iran and Oman have discussed additional mine-clearing cooperation even as Trump maintains that the international shipping lanes have already been cleared by American forces.
Trump’s announcement therefore represents an important milestone but not necessarily the end of the confrontation over Hormuz. The Navy has cleared the principal international shipping route, while the administration is warning Tehran that Space Force surveillance and American military power will be used to prevent Iran from shutting the waterway with mines again.