Photo attached to a Central Command post [U.S. Central Command X]

The United States launched a surprise operation to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz on the 11th (local time), coinciding with the start of peace talks with Iran.

With negotiations having begun with Iran, which has used the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as its strongest bargaining chip, the US has taken a forceful action that could weaken Iran's most significant leverage.

With the Strait of Hormuz being the biggest point of contention in the current negotiations, attention is focused on whether the US military's mine-clearing operation will become a variable in the talks.

The US Central Command announced in a statement on the same day that "Central Command forces have begun creating conditions for mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz" and that two guided-missile destroyers of the US Navy had passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Central Command explained that the USS Frank E. Petersen and the USS Michael Murphy passed through the Strait of Hormuz and conducted operations in the Arabian Sea, describing it as part of an extensive mission to completely remove mines laid by Iran.

It added that US forces, including underwater drones, would be deployed for mine-clearing operations in the coming days.

Brad Cooper, commander of Central Command, said, "We began the process of opening a new shipping lane today and will soon share this safe passage with the shipping industry to facilitate the free flow of commercial (transportation)."

This is the first time US warships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of US military operations against Iran.

The online US media outlet Axios reported that the operation was conducted without coordination with Iran. A US official explained to Axios that it was an operation focused on freedom of navigation on the high seas.

By launching the mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz to coincide with the start of peace talks between US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad, Pakistan, the US appears to be escalating its pressure on Iran to the maximum level.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is the most powerful bargaining chip in the hands of the Iranian delegation. The operation sends a message that the US can neutralize Iran's 'Hormuz leverage' by securing new shipping lanes through the deployment of warships to clear mines.

Even if the US military successfully clears mines and secures shipping lanes, it is estimated that Iran still possesses means, such as missiles, to attack ships passing through the strait, so Iran's control over the strait could be maintained.

Nevertheless, if the US military begins clearing mines around the Strait of Hormuz and can also garner military support from some allies, the US is expected to be in an advantageous position to negotiate with Iran.

Consequently, Iran's reaction, which has used the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as its greatest leverage, is drawing attention. Amid reports from the British Financial Times (FT) that the talks in Islamabad have reached an impasse due to differences over the Strait of Hormuz issue, attention is focused on whether the US mine-clearing operation will become a significant variable.

However, the risks associated with the mine-clearing operation are not insignificant for the US military.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated in a post on the social media platform Truth Social that "We are now beginning to clean up the Strait of Hormuz for the countries of the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others."

He also criticized, "Amazingly, they have no courage or will to do this themselves."

President Trump did not specify what the cleanup operation entailed, but it appears to have been in reference to the mine-clearing operation. The interpretation is that he is expressing dissatisfaction with allies and shifting responsibility by framing the action as being taken for various Asian and European countries.

The passage of US destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz was first reported by US media. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that an incident occurred where one US destroyer moved into the Strait of Hormuz but turned back due to warnings from the Iranian military.