Two U.S. warships crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such incident since the start of the war with Iran, while President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the U.S. has begun the 'clearing' of this strategic waterway, LETA reports, citing AFP.
Mine sweepers from the American fleet passed through the strait without any incidents, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing three U.S. officials.
The operation was not coordinated with the authorities in Tehran, notes Axios.
"We are now beginning the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz," Trump stated on his social platform Truth Social, calling it a "service" to countries like China, Japan, and France, which, according to him, "lack the courage or will to do this work themselves."
He insisted that Iran has lost in this conflict, while also acknowledging that Iranian mines in the strategic strait, through which one-fifth of the world's oil is transported, still pose a threat.
"The only thing they are good at is threatening that a ship might 'run into' one of their sea mines," Trump wrote.
High-ranking representatives from Iran and the U.S. began negotiations in Pakistan on Saturday aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East.
