Yesterday, Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the U.S. military reported that it had cleared a major shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz (not the entire Strait of Hormuz).

On the same day, Donald Trump stated that the entire Strait of Hormuz had been cleared (which is inconsistent with the U.S. military’s statement).

What exactly is going on?

It is important to note that:

• The Iranians have not specified exactly how many mines were laid, which would be invaluable information;
• the U.S. military has begun a major shift in demining operations: experienced deminers were decommissioned in early 2026, and the new technology being implemented does not yet appear to be fully proven;
• The Trump administration tends to spin information in a way that makes it impossible to be completely certain.

Consequently, it is recommended that:

• Ask the Iranian side how many mines have been laid and where. The answers will likely be incomplete and unreliable,
• ask CENTCOM what has actually been done and how many mines have been detected and neutralized. This information will certainly be reliable if provided and could give an idea of the status of the mine-clearing efforts.
• In any case, it is necessary to verify a large area that includes Omani territorial waters, part of Iranian territorial waters, and, as a precaution, an adjacent portion of the United Arab Emirates’ territorial waters.
  To do this, the best approach is to call on European mine clearance experts. Double-checking mine detection is a wise precaution, even if it will take several weeks.

We don’t take safety lightly, and even if the U.S. statements are true, another verification is welcome.

August 26, 2026

Naej DRANER (naej.draner@gmail.com)