Iran denies US ships entry into Strait of Hormuz

US undertakes mission to remove naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz Disclosure/ US Command Center/@CENTCOM Iran denied that United States Navy ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media reported this Saturday afternoon (11). The operation mentioned by American authorities, according to the US Central Command, would aim to reinforce security in the waterway after the identification of explosive devices attributed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp LIVE: Follow the latest news of the war According to Iranian media, a spokesperson for the country’s joint military command rejected the statement previously made by American authorities, and added that the decision on the passage of any vessel through the strait rests with the Iranian armed forces. Islamic Republic of Iran. See the videos that are trending on g1 The US operation in the Gulf Earlier, forces from the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced an operation to detect and remove naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels’ main focus is to ensure that the sea lane is completely free of threats. According to CENTCOM, monitoring will be intensified in the coming days with the arrival of reinforcements, including the use of underwater drones specialized in identifying objects on the seabed. The mission is supported by two US Navy warships: the USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and the USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112). Both crossed the strait and are already operating in waters of the Arabian Gulf. The vessels’ main focus is to ensure that the sea lane is completely free of threats. According to CENTCOM, monitoring will be intensified in the coming days with the arrival of reinforcements, including the use of underwater drones specialized in identifying objects on the seabed. Safe route for trade Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, stated that the priority is the creation of a risk-free navigable corridor for the merchant marine. “Today, we begin the process of establishing a new passage. We will soon share this safe path with the maritime industry to encourage the free flow of trade,” said Cooper. Strategic importance The Strait of Hormuz is considered a vital geographic point for the global economy. As it is the main outlet for oil produced in several countries in the Middle East, any interruption in local traffic usually generates immediate impacts on international energy and logistics prices. So far, there is no prediction of how long the complete sweep will last, but the US guarantees that the military presence in the region will be maintained to ensure that the corridor remains open and safe. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, was one of the conditions imposed by Trump for the ceasefire with Iran. In the first hours after the announcement of the two-week ceasefire, the strait was reopened, increasing the flow of ships in the region. However, after Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, which were not part of the initial agreement announced by the US, Iran closed the strait again. This Saturday (11), two Chinese supertankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz, according to LSEG navigation data. The vessels could be the first to leave the Gulf since the ceasefire agreement signed on Tuesday (7). What are naval mines? According to analyzes by the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, at the University of Texas, Iran maintains a varied arsenal of mines of Soviet, Western and self-made origin. A study by the center points out that one of the most advanced models in the country’s possession would be the EM-52, of Chinese origin. This mine remains on the seabed and fires a type of rocket towards the target when it detects the passage of a vessel. According to the study, Iran’s ability to install mines of this type on a large scale is limited, as the country would only have three submarines suitable for launching the model. Given this, Iran could use small vessels to place simpler mines. Understand the types of naval mines Alberto Correa/g1 *With information from Reuters and Agence France-Presse

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