CENTCOM's Commander Conducts an Inspection Flight in Strait of Hormuz
The commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, made a low-flying tour of the Strait of Hormuz in a US Army Chinook helicopter, accompanied by an attack helicopter. He overflew two unladen vessels and stated that primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear of Iranian sea mines. The IRGC has stepped up attacks on shipping in the Strait in recent weeks, but these attacks do not appear to have diminished the flow of vessels through the Strait, while CENTCOM claims that 95% of vessels are making safe transits.
Why it matters: The inspection flight bears on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, where IRGC attacks and mine-clearance operations affect transit risk.