President Trump says the U.S. Navy has cleared every mine from the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran that any attempt to re-mine the vital waterway will be met with immediate destruction.
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. Navy has removed and detonated every mine from the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway Iran has largely closed since the start of the Middle East war. The announcement is one of the most significant developments in the conflict since the fighting began in late February, and it came with a blunt warning for Tehran.
"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Iran has not commented publicly on the announcement.
The Strait of Hormuz sits at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and carries roughly 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas in normal times. Before the war, tankers moving through the strait fed energy markets across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Iran's decision to effectively close the waterway triggered wild swings in global oil prices, and the uncertainty has hung over the world economy ever since. Tehran has fired on vessels it said tried to cross without permission, while Washington has repeatedly insisted it controls the area.
The war began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli air strikes against Iran, and Tehran retaliated against Israel, American bases in the region, and U.S. Gulf allies. A ceasefire aimed at setting up talks collapsed, leaving both sides trading intermittent fire.
A June memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran set a 60-day deadline for a deal on the strait before broader negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. That deadline expired and the talks collapsed, clearing the way for the Treasury Department's sweeping new sanctions package against the Iranian regime, which officials have described as an "economic D-Day."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that any nation financially partnering with Iran will be isolated. Tehran's economy is already under heavy strain from the war and a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, though Iran's economy minister insisted the country was "fully prepared" for the wider sanctions.
Beijing, the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, said Tuesday it firmly opposes what it called the "illegal unilateral sanctions" and promised "all necessary measures" to safeguard its rights. The friction comes ahead of planned talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.
Washington is wary of Chinese retaliation, since Beijing processes most of the world's rare earths and critical minerals used in high-tech manufacturing. China has already tightened rare earth export controls in previous trade fights.
On the waterway itself, Iran and Oman have been discussing a temporary shipping corridor. Iran's deputy foreign minister said the entry route would run through Iranian waters and the exit through Omani territorial waters, with only commercial vessels allowed and no military ships. Oman's foreign minister said he hopes the two countries will soon announce the arrangement, with a permanent solution to follow.
Iran still insists it wants full control of the strait, a position the U.S. and most of the international community reject on the grounds that the passage is international waters and transit must remain unimpeded. Tehran has warned that if its demands are not met, the strait will be closed again.
With the mines cleared, the immediate question is whether shipping resumes in force and whether Iran follows through on its threats. The 60-day window for a permanent corridor arrangement, the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, and Tehran's response to the mine-clearing announcement will all shape what happens next. For now, the United States has made clear it will keep the waterway open, by force if necessary.
President Trump says the U.S. Navy has cleared every mine from the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran that any attempt to re-mine the vital waterway will be met with immediate destruction.
freedomlinedispatch.com
