CENTCOM: Hormuz shipping lanes remain mine-free
Shafaq News- Washington
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday that all internationally recognized shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz remained free of naval mines, rejecting Iranian reports that commercial vessels had struck mines while crossing the waterway.
In a statement, CENTCOM said Iranian-controlled media had reported alleged mine strikes on commercial ships in recent days and weeks, dismissing the claims as false.
🚫 CLAIM: Over recent days and weeks, Iranian-controlled media have reported Iranian claims that commercial vessels are hitting sea mines while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. These claims are FALSE. ✅ FACT: All internationally recognized primary transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz have been cleared of sea mines by U.S. forces and remain so. Thousands of commercial vessels have safely used the transit lanes and continue today.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 28, 2026
The command said US forces had cleared all major internationally recognized transit routes of naval mines and that the routes remained clear. It added that thousands of commercial vessels had safely used the shipping lanes and continued to do so.
The statement comes amid a surge in attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways. According to Reuters, October has been the worst month for attacks on commercial vessels in the area since a Washington-based think tank began tracking maritime security incidents in 2017.
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy recorded 28 confirmed and reported attacks in October and 113 since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
