Foreign Policy: Ship Traffic Data Contradicts Claim That Hormuz Mines Are Fully Cleared

Foreign Policy magazine reported that despite US President Donald Trump's August 25, 2026 (3 Shahrivar 1405) Truth Social post claiming all mines in the Strait of Hormuz had been removed or detonated, daily ship transits through the strait remain around 30, versus a pre-war daily average of about 129. Per Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Foreign Policy, most transiting vessels are choosing routes hugging the Iranian and Omani coasts rather than the strait's official mid-channel shipping lane, behavior the magazine said shows the shipping industry still does not trust Washington's claim. CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper had earlier said US forces cleared international shipping lanes of Iranian mines, without claiming every mine in the area had been cleared.