Admiral Brad Cooper says the US has removed Iranian mines and secured the routes through the Strait of Hormuz

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), said Friday in a video message posted on the X platform that US forces had removed Iranian naval mines from the main international shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the official, the operation took place after the United States allegedly sank Iran’s military fleet earlier this year.

Cooper said US troops remain in the area to keep commercial routes open and safe. He stated that during a visit earlier in the week, he saw dozens of commercial vessels, including oil tankers, cargo ships, and liquefied natural gas carriers. US maritime drones were also patrolling the strait.

The admiral said he had not seen members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whom he said had harassed and captured commercial vessels in the past. “Iran’s fleet is entirely on the seabed,” Cooper said.

According to CENTCOM, the US has supported the export of more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil from Gulf states since the beginning of the summer. More than 3,000 commercial vessels are said to have crossed the strait over the past six months, with more than 95% reportedly reaching their destinations safely.

The US official also claimed that Iran had been unable to export oil because of the blockade imposed by the United States. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the most important routes for global oil and gas transport. Commercial vessels were affected after the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran broke out at the end of February.