'We Got The Job Done': CENTCOM Chief Says Mines Cleared, Hormuz Shipping Routes Open

Summary

The article, dated August 28, 2026, reports competing accounts about the status of the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional tensions. U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper said American forces had completed a months-long operation to remove sea mines and had reopened the shipping lanes. He said Navy divers, SEALs, airpower, and other U.S. forces helped protect nearly 1,500 commercial vessels. President Trump separately said the United States controls the strait and has imposed a blockade preventing anything from passing, while also describing Iran as a failing nation and claiming Tehran wants a deal. The White House reportedly says no negotiations are currently taking place. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps disputes the U.S. account and claims continued control of the waterway. A senior Iranian official linked the strait’s status to ending conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza. The article also reports Israeli concerns that a pilot security program in southern Lebanon has failed because the Lebanese Army is not acting against Hezbollah infrastructure despite requesting Israeli intelligence. Israel is reportedly preparing to reinforce forces in Judea and Samaria before the September–October Jewish holiday period. Despite the instability, the article says aliyah from North America is increasing, with more than 2,700 arrivals so far in 2026 and over 4,000 projected by year’s end.