To avoid risk of mines, Navy directs ships on path farther from Iran in Strait of Hormuz

Key Points:

• The U.S. military is directing commercial ships to use a safer, cleared route in the Strait of Hormuz due to the presence of Iranian-laid mines, warning that the normal route is "extremely hazardous."
• Project Freedom, launched by U.S. Central Command, aims to reopen part of the strait by coordinating with commercial vessels to navigate through a cleared path, supported by mine detection efforts including MQ-9 Reaper drones and satellite imagery analysis.
• Iran reportedly laid new mines in the strait on April 23, with previous reports indicating about a dozen mines were present, prompting U.S. officials to acknowledge the threat after initial denials.
• U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, condemned Iran's actions as illegal and warned that further mine-laying would violate the ceasefire, with plans to respond accordingly.
• Since Project Freedom began, only two U.S. commercial ships have transited the strait, though hundreds more are waiting to pass; the operation is described as defensive and temporary, distinct from the now-concluded bombing campaign, Operation Epic Fury.