Secret Four-Month Mine Sweep in Hormuz Strait Reported by FT

The Financial Times reports the United States conducted a four-month covert operation to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, deploying Navy SEAL divers, robotic boats and specialized underwater craft—mostly at night. Small teams attached charges to detected mines while unmanned vessels searched the seabed; no US casualties were reported. The mission followed Iran's claim of laying mines, and analysts said while the southern stretch near Oman may be cleared, there are doubts the entire waterway is safe for unrestricted shipping.