U.S. Warships Transit Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Talks

U.S. warships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, marking the first such passage since the onset of the war with Iran, as President Donald Trump announced that American forces had begun clearing the vital waterway of mines and threats. The guided-missile destroyers moved through the strait without reported incidents, according to U.S. officials cited by news reports. The operation was not coordinated with Iranian authorities.

Trump detailed the effort in a post on his Truth Social platform, stating, "We're now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz." He described the action as "a favor" to nations including China, Japan, France, and others that lack the "Courage or Will" to undertake it themselves. Trump added that all 28 of Iran's mine dropper boats had been sunk and asserted that Iran was "LOSING BIG!" in the conflict. He acknowledged lingering risks from Iranian mines in the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world's crude oil passes, noting, "The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may bump into one of their sea mines."

The transit coincided with the start of direct negotiations between senior U.S. and Iranian officials...