25/04/2026
Share:
25/04/2026
Share:
Centcom - Ships with the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group sail in the Indian Ocean, April 23.
WASHINGTON, April 25: The United States said it is conducting operations to locate and remove explosive naval mines in a renewed effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor where nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply typically passes.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy is actively working to clear suspected Iranian mines from the waterway, which has remained largely closed to commercial shipping and continues to place a strain on global energy markets.
Experts, however, warned that mine-clearing operations could take months even under a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran. They also cautioned that restoring commercial confidence may prove difficult even after physical clearance is completed.
“There’s only so much the U.S. can do to give that confidence back to commercial shipping,” said Emma Salisbury of the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program, noting that insurers and freight operators may remain wary of the region.
The push to sweep the strait comes as part of broader U.S. efforts to restore maritime traffic and stabilize energy flows, amid rising global fuel prices and growing economic pressure linked to disruptions in the region.
