conflictFriday, August 28, 20267 sources

CENTCOM Announces Full Clearance of Iranian Sea Mines from Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on August 28, 2026, that it had fully cleared the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mines, a move that restored critical shipping lanes. The operation was led by CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper, who announced the success in a video message. The clearance followed months of Iranian mine placement, which had disrupted maritime traffic in the region.

CENTCOM stated that Iranian sea mines had been removed from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global trade. The operation was conducted by U.S. forces, with Cooper confirming the neutralization of mines planted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The clearance was reported by multiple outlets, including Arab News, National UAE, and TASS, all citing CENTCOM's announcement. The operation marked a significant shift in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz now open for commercial and military vessels. However, some outlets, such as Rudaw, noted that the naval blockade remained in place, suggesting continued Iranian resistance. The removal of mines was widely reported across international media, with Izvestia providing the most detailed account, including Cooper's video message on social media. While all sources agreed on the clearance of mines, there were minor discrepancies in the phrasing of the announcement. Some outlets, like TASS, emphasized the full clearance, while others, such as Rudaw, mentioned the ongoing naval blockade. Despite these nuances, the consensus among the seven outlets was that the operation was successful and that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened.

Timelines

Sources

WireUnited Press InternationalAug 28, 11:51 AM
CENTCOM says Strait of Hormuz cleared of Iranian sea mines

CENTCOM said it has cleared the Strait of Hormuz of sea mines, removing a major obstacle to achieving freedom of navigation of the chokepoint.

WireArmenpressAug 28, 10:41 AM
U.S. says Iranian mines cleared from Strait of Hormuz transit routes - Armenpress

U.S. says Iranian mines cleared from Strait of Hormuz transit routes  Armenpress

IndependentIzvestiaAug 28, 09:50 AM
CENTCOM Chief Announces Full Clearance of the Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has fully cleared the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mines that had blocked the movement of ships in the area. This was announced on August 28 by CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper. 'We successfully neutralized the sea mines that were planted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps several months ago on international trade routes in the gulf,' he said in a video message posted on CENTCOM's page on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

IndependentRûdaw Media NetworkAug 28, 09:22 AM
US forces clear Iranian mines from Strait of Hormuz as naval blockade holds: CENTCOM - Rudaw

US forces clear Iranian mines from Strait of Hormuz as naval blockade holds: CENTCOM  Rudaw

StateTASSAug 28, 07:30 AM
US fully cleared Strait of Hormuz of mines — CENTCOM head - tass.com

US fully cleared Strait of Hormuz of mines — CENTCOM head  tass.com

IndependentArab NewsAug 28, 06:57 AM
US CENTCOM chief: Hormuz transit routes cleared of Iranian sea mines - Arab News

US CENTCOM chief: Hormuz transit routes cleared of Iranian sea mines  Arab News

IndependentThe National UAEAug 28, 05:43 AM
Centcom chief says Hormuz shipping lanes cleared of Iranian mines - thenationalnews.com

Centcom chief says Hormuz shipping lanes cleared of Iranian mines  thenationalnews.com