The United States continues to maintain a firm blockade of Iranian ports, intensifying the already protracted conflict that began six months ago with a joint war launched by Iran and the United States. The head of the U.S. Military’s Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, has reiterated the U.S. military’s commitment to clearing the Strait of Hormuz of sea mines, stating they remain ‘open’ and ‘momentum is building.’
He acknowledged, however, that vessels still seek direct U.S. military protection to utilize the vital waterway, which Iran has consistently warned against, driving global oil prices to a record high – approximately 30% increase compared to pre-war levels – according to recent analysis by the International Energy Agency.
In a video statement posted online Thursday evening, Cooper said the U.S. military had ‘meticulously and quietly’ cleared mines laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This action, repeated numerous times prior to Cooper’s statement, has been a key component of the U.S. strategy to limit Iranian shipping.
‘Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military,’ he said. "Today, international shipping lanes are open, and momentum is building."
President Trump echoed this sentiment, stating that the U.S. had enabled nearly 1,500 commercial vessels to transit the strait the previous night, reaffirming his insistence that the waterway was de-mined, a claim he’d repeatedly made before Cooper released his statement.
But two dozen ships remains a stark contrast to the daily flow of roughly 120 that typically traverse the strait before the U.S. and Israel launched their joint war on Iran. Shippers remain highly wary of utilizing the waterway given Iran’s ongoing threat to vessels that risk passage without coordination with Tehran.
Some U.S. allies have also expressed concern regarding the extent of the mine clearance, according to a Bloomberg report. This has intensified geopolitical tensions and raised questions about the stability of the region.
Iran’s leaders, however, have dismissed these concerns, stating that their exports of energy products have ‘declined to some extent’ – a figure that, according to analysts, is likely an understatement – and that their sales outside territorial waters, in distant waters, have continued.
Israel has once again thrashed its enemies without defeating them, and after nearly three years of war in Gaza and new land seizures, is at risk of a generational rupture with the U.S., its closest ally. Hopes of normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia – another enduring U.S. and Israeli aspiration – have dimmed further.
The Strait of Hormuz is still blocked by U.S. military naval blockades, and the U.S. continues to impose sanctions on Chinese banks that cooperate with Iran, though the extent of these restrictions remains a point of contention.
Analysts note that Iran can also export its crude oil over land, including to its most valuable trade partner, China. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled plans for ‘economic asphyxiation’ of Iran, warning of dire consequences for countries that don’t join the campaign. Iran’s leaders have dismissed these threats, but they remain wary of potential repercussions.
President Trump fired back at a reporter Thursday who asked whether the U.S. would institute sanctions on Chinese banks that cooperate with Iran, responding, “Who says I’m not?” He told reporters that his administration is ‘not looking to meet’ with Iran, arguing the naval blockade on Iranian ports and ever-tightening sanctions on Iran’s economy have inflicted severe damage on the country.
Publicly, Iranian officials have stood firm, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping traffic unless the U.S. returns to a temporary deal the two sides struck earlier this summer. Mr. Trump has repeatedly stated that the strait is open, but ships have been hesitant to sail through the vital waterway.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s foreign minister visited Tehran on Thursday and urged the two sides to ‘resume the diplomatic process.’
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that China should ‘get with the program’ in regard to sanctions during an interview with CNBC. However, Chinese officials called the sanctions "illegal" and "unilateral" and said they would not enforce them.
China is Iran’s largest trade partner.
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Source: CBS News
