The United States has declared the Strait of Hormuz open for navigation, with President Donald Trump saying American forces have cleared the strategic waterway of sea mines and are facilitating the movement of commercial vessels.
Trump said on Thursday that the strait was open and that millions of barrels of oil were continuing to move through the waterway. He also claimed that U.S. forces had removed or neutralized mines and were closely monitoring the route.
The announcement comes after months of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid the continuing conflict between the United States and Iran. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies normally passing through it.
The U.S. Central Command has separately confirmed that American forces have cleared Iranian sea mines from parts of the strait, removing a major obstacle to freedom of navigation.
However, Washington’s declaration that the strait is open does not mean normal commercial shipping has fully returned. Reuters reported on Friday that international efforts remain focused on reopening the waterway, while overall maritime traffic remains significantly below pre-war levels. Iran has also indicated that it wants conditions addressed before fully restoring navigation.
Iran and Oman have been discussing a temporary shipping corridor intended to facilitate safer passage, while regional mediators, including Qatar, are pushing for diplomatic measures to restore freedom of navigation.
The developments are being closely watched by global energy markets because any sustained disruption to the strait could affect crude oil, liquefied natural gas and fuel supplies worldwide. Oil prices have remained sensitive to changing expectations over whether shipping can return to normal.
Trump has also stressed that declaring the Strait of Hormuz open does not signal an end to U.S. military operations against Iran, leaving the broader regional security situation uncertain.
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