U.S. Central Command said two American Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz and began mine-clearing operations in the Arabian Gulf, with additional forces — including underwater drones — expected to join the effort in the coming days.
President Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States was doing “a favor to Countries all over the world” by removing mines from the strait. He later told reporters the U.S. believed there were mines in the water, that minesweepers were at work and that Iran’s mine-laying ships had been destroyed.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement warning it would deal “severely” with any military vessels transiting the strait, saying the IRGC Navy has authority to manage passage and that only civilian ships would be allowed through under specific conditions, according to Agence France-Presse.
Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Islamabad for trilateral talks involving the U.S., Iran and Pakistan. After what he described as a 21-hour negotiation session, Vance said early Sunday that the U.S. had not reached an agreement and that Iran had “chosen not to accept our terms.” He departed Islamabad shortly after the press briefing. The meetings were described as the first face-to-face talks between U.S. and Iranian officials since the 1979 Islamic Revolution; previous high-level contact included a 2013 phone call between then-President Barack Obama and then-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
U.S. officials previously told CBS News their intelligence assessments indicated at least a dozen underwater mines had been placed in the waterway. The devices reportedly include Iran-made items such as the moored, sensor-activated Maham 3 and the seabed-resting “sticking” Maham 7, which detonates when a target comes within range. Drones and missiles have also been used in recent weeks to prevent ships from transiting the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint, carrying roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil. During six weeks of intense conflict, movement of oil tankers and other commercial vessels was largely halted. Some maritime traffic has resumed since a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, but transit levels remain well below normal, according to marine-tracking data reviewed by CBS News.
Analysts warn disruptions to global oil supplies could persist for months even if the ceasefire holds. Henning Gloystein, managing director for energy, industry and resources at Eurasia Group, said damaged refineries and other infrastructure will take time to repair and that shipping companies will likely need at least two months to restore regular tanker operations.