Trump says all mines cleared from Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the US Navy has cleared all mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that Iran largely closed since the beginning of the Middle East war. Iran has been notified that any vessel placing new mines will face immediate and systematic destruction. There is no official response from Iran to this assertion.

The closure of the strait has led to significant volatility in global oil prices, as it previously facilitated the passage of around 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. The war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli air strikes against Iran, resulted in Iran closing the strait and retaliating against Israel and US bases in the region, as well as US Arab allies in the Gulf.

Despite a ceasefire aimed at facilitating negotiations, the conflict has continued intermittently. Recently, the US imposed new economic sanctions on Iran, warning that any nation engaging financially with Iran would face isolation. Iran has been under sanctions since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and has declared itself "fully prepared" for the additional restrictions, which it believes will result in another defeat for the US.

China, the largest importer of Iranian oil, has opposed the US sanctions and vowed to take necessary measures to protect its interests. Meanwhile, Iran has shown interest in establishing full control over the Strait of Hormuz, a position opposed by the US and many other nations who maintain that the passage is international waters.

Trump has also threatened to bomb allies of Oman, a US ally, if they interfere with his administration's talks with Iran regarding the strait. Oman and Iran have held talks to establish a temporary shipping corridor in the strait, with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister stating that the south route would be closed under the framework and only commercial vessels would be allowed.