US Forces Assert Control Over Most of Strait of Hormuz

Washington has announced that US forces now effectively control most areas of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that Iran has lost a significant portion of its influence in the strategic waterway. American officials stated that Tehran's ability to precisely target ships in the Strait of Hormuz has become limited, with Iranian attacks hitting only 2% of vessels that transited the strait last month. Officials added that diligent efforts led to the removal of over 200 mine-like objects from the southern corridor of the strait, of which only eleven were identified as actual mines, with very few properly planted. The United States described this development as a "significant achievement" in the Strait of Hormuz, particularly as between 20 and 30 oil tankers crossed the strait nightly in recent weeks, carrying an estimated 9 to 10 million barrels of oil. The United States aims to expand the main navigation channel in the Strait by mid-September, with the goal of enabling 50 ships to pass through the Strait to and from it each night. In a related context, regional sources indicated renewed Iranian interest in returning to negotiations.