The US military has cleared internationally recognised shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz of sea mines laid by Iran and helped nearly 1,500 commercial vessels transit the waterway, the head of US Central Command said on Thursday.
Admiral Brad Cooper said US forces had used divers, special operations forces and aircraft to clear the traffic separation scheme – the established shipping lanes through the narrow strait.
“Today, international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building,” Admiral Cooper said in a video message.
The vessels assisted by American forces carried nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil destined for global markets, he said. He added that Iran had been unable to export any oil from its shores since the US resumed a naval blockade in mid-July.
US forces have turned back about 75 vessels attempting to breach the blockade and disabled three that failed to comply with orders, Admiral Cooper said.
Washington is trying to increase commercial traffic through the waterway, a key conduit for global energy supplies that has been largely disrupted since the conflict with Iran began. Shipping data, however, suggests that traffic remains well below normal levels.
Ten commodity vessels sailed through the strait on Wednesday, according to Kpler data reported by Reuters, compared with a 10-day average of about 15. Oil flows remain at a fraction of the more than 20 million barrels per day that passed through the strait before the conflict began on February 28.
