US Central Command clears shipping lanes in Strait of Hormuz as Iranian oil exports remain halted

The US military just finished sweeping Iranian sea mines out of one of the most important shipping corridors on Earth. CENTCOM announced that the Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled roughly 20% of global oil supplies, is now clear for two-way tanker traffic after months of painstaking mine removal operations.

Iran, meanwhile, hasn’t exported a single barrel of crude since mid-July. No tankers have been reported leaving Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal, since the US naval blockade of Iranian ports was reinstated around July 13-14.

How the operation unfolded

The mine-clearance effort kicked off on April 11, 2026, after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps laid sea mines in international shipping lanes. Roughly one-fifth of all globally traded oil passes through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman.

CENTCOM responded with a significant show of force. The operation involved US Navy destroyers, including the USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and the USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), along with underwater drones and helicopters. Approximately 50,000 US troops supported operations in the region.

President Trump declared on August 25 that all mines in international waters had been successfully removed or detonated. Admiral Brad Cooper described the mine clearance as a “major milestone” for international shipping.

Geopolitical stakes

The Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint for US-Iran tensions for decades. The waterway is only about 21 miles wide at its narrowest point.

Iran now faces a worst-case scenario. Its mines have been neutralized, its oil exports are frozen, and roughly 50,000 US troops sit between the IRGC and the shipping lanes.

The residual risk hasn’t disappeared entirely. The IRGC retains asymmetric capabilities, from fast attack boats to anti-ship missiles, that could disrupt traffic even without mines.

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