Updated

President Trump announced that all mines have been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint that Iran had closed off since the start of the recent conflict, causing sharp fluctuations in world oil prices. The announcement suggested a de-escalation step in the standoff. Vice President JD Vance said Washington's focus has now shifted to ensuring the "free flow of commerce" through the strait, defending the earlier strike on Iran's Larak Island as a response to Iranians "about to lace the mines" and accusing Tehran's leadership of acting without "a whole lot of strategic wisdom" by trying to cut off oil and gas exports. Despite the mine-clearing announcement, shipping traffic through Hormuz remains subdued, with ship-tracking data showing only five vessels transiting the strait on Monday, below average levels.