The operation was confirmed by U.S. Central Command on the same day that peace talks between the United States and Iran started in Pakistan.
Two U.S. missile destroyers started clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz on April 11 as peace talks kicked off between Washington and the Iranian regime, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement on Saturday.
The American ships included the USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112).
CENTCOM revealed that the mission on Saturday is part of a broader goal to make the crucial waterway, located on the southwest coast of Iran, clear of sea mines laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
President Donald Trump suggested Saturday’s operation was “a favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others.”
“Incredibly, they don’t have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The Epoch Times contacted the White House Press Office and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for additional information.
Saturday’s confirmation about the mine clearing came hours after a United States government vessel was spotted entering the Strait of Hormuz, according to the ship-tracking intelligence platform Marinetraffic.com.
It’s not clear if this was related to CENTCOM’s mine-clearing mission.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
By Jacki Thrapp
