Two US Navy destroyers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the start of a US-led effort to remove sea mines and reopen one of the world آ’s most critical oil transit routes, according to US Central Command.
The operation, announced Saturday, involves the guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG-121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112). Both vessels moved through the strait and into the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission aimed at ensuring maritime safety following the placement of mines attributed to Iran آ’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, in a statement shared on X.
The military command noted that more resources are expected to join the operation in the coming days, including underwater drones designed to detect and neutralise naval mines. The effort comes at a time when the Strait, a passage that handles roughly a fifth of global crude shipments, has been severely disrupted amid escalating conflict.
