CENTCOM Commander: Iranian Revolutionary Guards No Longer Present in Strait of Hormuz - Sarmad
Brad Cooper announces US control of the strait and removal of Iranian mines
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper said on Friday that Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces are no longer present in the Strait of Hormuz, after having monitored it for decades.
His remarks followed a field inspection tour of his forces in the Middle East earlier this week, as part of an ongoing naval campaign and maximum military pressure exerted by the United States in the strategic waterway.
Cooper stated that he had visited U.S. troops and personally witnessed oil tankers transiting safely, announcing that “Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces are no longer present in the Strait of Hormuz, after having monitored it for decades.” He clarified that U.S. forces had succeeded in removing and clearing Iranian naval mines from major international shipping routes, noting that the U.S. military and its regional partners currently exercise full control to secure freedom of navigation for trade and energy routes in the strait.
This assessment summarizes the results of a broad and sustained military campaign that has been underway for months. According to official U.S. reports issued this month, CENTCOM announced in mid-October that it had significantly degraded Tehran’s military and economic capabilities by destroying naval vessels and weapons production facilities, and crippling the Revolutionary Guard’s ability to launch drones and missiles from the region.
CENTCOM Commander also briefed President Donald Trump at a White House meeting on the details of the military operation that ensured the safe passage and escort of oil tankers. The plan successfully facilitated the transit of more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the strait since last summer, despite threats.
In response, the Iranian side has sought to refute the U.S. narrative, with the Revolutionary Guard maintaining that the strait remains under its surveillance. It has repeatedly claimed that oil tankers (which it describes as unauthorized) collided with naval mines in “unauthorized routes” south and east of the strait—allegations that CENTCOM has categorically denied, dismissing them as “false” attempts to cover up Tehran’s loss of maritime influence.
