US official says Hormuz 'fully open' under Navy control after covert mine clearing

A senior US official told Al Jazeera the strait is fully open and under US Navy control after special operations forces removed an estimated 80 naval mines since April, and that about 20 US vessels in the blockade were escorting commercial ships. The official said Washington was satisfied with current oil and gas flows.

Why this matters. The claim clashed with shipping data showing transits at their lowest since May, as Iran threatened its own restricted zone.