CENTCOM Rejects Iranian Mine-Strike Claims in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command rejected Iranian-media claims on October 28 that merchant ships were hitting mines while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The command said the principal internationally recognized transit routes had been cleared by U.S. forces and remained clear, with commercial shipping continuing to use them. “These claims are FALSE,” CENTCOM said in its statement. It described the disputed reports as having circulated through Iranian-controlled media in recent days and weeks. The command said thousands of merchant vessels had safely crossed the cleared routes and continued to do so. Its assurance concerned those principal shipping lanes, rather than a claim that every part of the strait had been cleared. The denial followed an October 25 visit to the strait by CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. A command release said he observed commercial shipping from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook and met personnel who had supported mine-clearance work. CENTCOM attributed the mines to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In that earlier release, the command reported that more than 3,000 commercial vessels had passed through Hormuz over six months. It said over 95% of vessels had transited safely in recent months and that U.S. support had helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil since the summer.