US forces begin ‘clearing’ Strait of Hormuz, claims Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has claimed that American forces have begun “clearing out” the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iranian minelayer vessels have been targeted and destroyed.

Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that “the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz” was underway and added that “all 28” of Iran’s “mine dropper boats” were now “lying at the bottom of the sea.”

The US president has repeatedly made similar claims in recent weeks, saying American forces have inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s navy and air force while also crippling its ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities.

Meanwhile, fears of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping have disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, effectively tightening supplies and unsettling energy markets worldwide. Although most oil passing through the strait is not destined for the United States, global prices have still been impacted, leading to a rise in US gasoline costs.

In a related development, representatives from the United States and Iran reportedly began talks in Islamabad on Saturday, hosted by Pakistan, as efforts continue to maintain a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.