US Removes Mines from Strait of Hormuz Amid Ongoing Tensions with Iran

US President Donald Trump announced that all mines have been removed from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, following weeks of tensions between the US and Iran. The announcement comes as the US and Iran continue to vie for control of the narrow maritime passage, through which around 5 million barrels of oil are transported per day.

The Strait of Hormuz has seen a significant decline in oil transits since the start of the conflict, with provisional data from ship tracker Vortexa showing that oil transits have dropped to around one-fifth of their pre-war levels.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled new sanctions on 60 individuals, entities and vessels, but stopped short of imposing more severe measures. The US is wary of Chinese retaliation for any sanctions on its banks ahead of expected talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.