US President Donald Trump said the United States has started clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe navigation worldwide. Meanwhile, reports say US naval vessels have already crossed the strait.
Details
Trump announced this on April 11 on his Truth Social page. At the same time, he criticized the US media. According to him, “fake news” outlets have lost public trust because of what he described as excessive hostility toward the current president.
He also pushed back against reports highlighting Iran’s alleged successes. Some media claim Iran is gaining the upper hand, but Trump rejected these assessments. Instead, he argued that Iran is losing the war. He said the US has destroyed Iran’s navy and air force. He also claimed Iran’s air defense systems are no longer functioning. In addition, missile and drone production facilities have suffered major damage.
Trump added that Iran has lost its minesweepers, which are key naval assets for mine countermeasures. According to him, naval mines remain the main threat to safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, he said, the US has launched a mine-clearing operation.
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to сountries all over the цorld, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” Trump wrote.
However, he added that these countries “ don’t have the сourage or will to do this work themselves” . At the same time, he noted that empty oil tankers from many of these countries are heading to the US to load oil.
US ships cross the strait
Barak Ravid, a journalist at Axios, reported on X that several US Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 11. He cited a senior US official.
“The move was not coordinated with Iran. This is the first time U.S. warships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the war began,” Ravid wrote.
According to the source, the operation aims to protect freedom of navigation in international waters. The US official also said Iran has not threatened to attack American vessels.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Iran is considering introducing fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. In the US, this idea has faced resistance from oil companies and government officials.
