CENTCOM: No ship has entered or left any Iranian port without our permission
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the clearance of international shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz from naval mines, which it said were planted months ago by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The command affirmed that the naval blockade imposed on Iran would continue alongside measures to protect commercial shipping traffic.
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that approximately 50,000 US troops deployed in the region are carrying out two simultaneous missions: enforcing the naval blockade on Iran and ensuring the free flow of commercial navigation through the strait.
He added that the US military had achieved a “significant accomplishment” by removing mines from internationally recognized transit routes, noting that the clearance operations were conducted “with precision and quietness” over the past months under conditions he described as difficult and dangerous.
Cooper explained that the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) represents a network of organized maritime lanes used by ships to transit in opposite directions through the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that a dividing line separates vessels traveling in different directions to ensure their safety and maintain distance within the narrow waterway, emphasizing that international navigation has long relied on these routes.
While presenting a nautical chart of the strait and surrounding waters, Cooper said these lanes resemble a highway system for ships in the oceans, regulating traffic direction and reducing the risk of collisions in the narrow passage.
According to the CENTCOM commander, the mine clearance operation involved US Navy divers and Navy SEALs, supported by air capabilities from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
He reported that US forces had assisted approximately 1,500 commercial vessels in transiting the Strait of Hormuz over the past months by providing coordinated protection.
These ships transported nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil to global energy markets, a quantity Cooper described as “massive.”
In contrast, the CENTCOM commander stated that Iran has not exported any oil from its shores since the resumption of the naval blockade in mid-July, considering US forces to have been “highly effective” in executing the mission.
He said no vessel entered or departed from Iranian ports without US military permission, and that transit approvals were limited to humanitarian cases.
Cooper noted that US forces forced 75 ships attempting to breach the blockade to turn back, and disabled three vessels after they failed to comply with orders. He praised the performance of the sailors, Marines, and Air Force personnel involved in the mission, stating that CENTCOM forces demonstrated full focus on its execution.
He affirmed that US forces remain on high alert and prepared to use force, and are determined to continue the mission.
