In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, the U.S. President stated that Iranian minelaying vessels are "also at the bottom of the sea." Trump further claimed that the capabilities of the Iranian military, particularly its air and naval forces, have been significantly weakened, and that their missiles and drones have been "largely destroyed." "The only thing they have left is the threat that a ship might hit one of their sea mines, even though all 28 of their minelaying vessels are also at the bottom of the sea. We are now beginning the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz as a service to countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others. It is unbelievable that they lack the courage or will to do this job themselves," Trump stated. Trump also reiterated earlier claims that empty tankers "from many countries" are now coming to the United States for oil. On the other hand, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it has begun activities to create conditions for mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz. "Today, we have started the process of establishing a new passage and will soon share this safe route with the maritime industry to promote the free flow of trade," said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM. The statement noted that U.S. destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen and USS Michael Murphy have passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, marking the beginning of a mission to remove sea mines allegedly laid by the IRGC. The goal of the operation, as stated, is to re-establish a safe passage through one of the world's most important energy routes, which, according to U.S. claims, has been blocked for more than six weeks, leading to rising oil prices and disruptions in global supply. However, the Iranian side claims that there is currently no maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian sources, the U.S. destroyer also did not receive permission to pass. An Iranian military official emphasized that Iran "remains determined not to allow any vessel to pass without approval" and that any transit would require prior permission from Tehran.