Centcom chief says Hormuz routes remain clear as Iran reports interceptions

The head of US Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, has claimed that the main international shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz are clear of Iranian sea mines and that commercial vessels are sailing freely through the waterway. In a video posted on Cencom's X account, Cooper said he flew over the strait earlier this week and saw dozens of commercial vessels transiting the area. “Here’s what I didn’t see: I didn’t see the IRGC out there at all,” he said, claiming Iran’s navy was “all at the bottom of the sea”. The remarks come as Iran has repeatedly claimed that it maintains control over the strait. Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had stopped two tankers attempting to cross the southern part of the waterway, accusing them of using “unauthorised routes” with US military support.