Yeah, this matches recent reporting from August 28, 2026.

President Donald Trump told Axios in a Thursday phone interview that the Strait of Hormuz “is open,” using the phrase “That sucker is open.” The Iranian response is very mild. They don’t want us to go back at them. That’s the whole ball game. The rest doesn’t matter.”

This comes amid an ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict that began around late February 2026. Iran previously used threats, mines, drones, missiles, and control of shipping lanes in the strait (a key chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil flows) as major leverage.

The U.S. has conducted mine-clearing operations, maintained a blockade on Iranian ports and ships, and facilitated some commercial traffic.

CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated in a video that internationally recognized sea routes are free of Iranian sea mines, calling it a “major milestone.” U.S. officials estimate 20- 30 tankers now transit nightly (or similar reduced volumes), far below the pre-war ~130 ships per day, with occasional attacks still reported (Iran hit roughly 2% of ships in the past month per one account).

Independent shipping data shows traffic remains severely restricted, often in the single digits to low teens of confirmed commodity vessel transits on recent days, due to ongoing risks, selective routes, and insurance and security concerns, even as the U.S. claims effective control and Iran’s ability to fully close it has been degraded.

Oil prices have been elevated by the disruptions.

Trump has repeatedly asserted U.S. control and blockade and mine clearance in recent days and weeks; Iran continues to dispute full reopening and ties it to unmet conditions from prior interim deals.

Trump is declaring reduced Iranian leverage and a functional (if still constrained and U.S.- secured) strait based on military operations, which aligns with the headline’s framing.

The situation remains fluid and contested.

Update from CENTCOM Commander: pic.twitter.com/osPbltjJ1C

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 28, 2026

This is the official U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) post from August 28, 2026 (around 00:21 GMT), featuring a video update from CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper (U.S. Navy).

In the roughly 3.5-minute video, Cooper announces a “major milestone” in the Strait of Hormuz:

• U.S. forces have successfully cleared sea mines from the strait’s international shipping lanes (the internationally recognized transit routes / Traffic Separation Scheme) that were laid months earlier by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
• “Internationally recognized transit routes in the strait are free of Iranian sea mines, thanks to the incredible work of the U.S. military.”
• The clearance involved Navy divers, Navy SEALs, and air power from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps over the past few months under “challenging and dangerous” conditions: “We got the job done.”
• “Bottom line: today, international shipping lanes are open, and momentum is building.”

He also notes that:

• U.S. forces have assisted nearly 1,500 commercial vessels in transiting the strait under coordinated protection.
• Those ships carried nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil to global markets.
• Meanwhile, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect (resumed mid-July), with Iran exporting zero oil from its shores since then; no vessels enter or leave Iranian ports without U.S. authorization (humanitarian exceptions only).
• Roughly 50,000 U.S. troops in the region are involved in enforcing the blockade while supporting commercial traffic flow.

The video includes footage of Cooper speaking against a backdrop of U.S. and CENTCOM flags, nautical charts of the Strait of Hormuz highlighting the cleared routes (with red markings on the TSS), and operational clips (e.g., helicopter near a vessel, sailors observing from a ship).

This official statement directly supports President Trump’s concurrent claims that the strait is open and that Iran has lost significant leverage over it. Shipping data still shows traffic well below pre-war levels due to residual risks and caution, but CENTCOM presents the mine clearance as a key step toward restoring safer passage.