Iran latest: US says a route through Strait of Hormuz has been reopened

The U.S. announced Monday that American forces have cleared a route that will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and get around Iran’s effective closure of the vital shipping lane.

The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center told crews that an "enhanced security area" was established for ships to navigate the strait through Omani waters. The new passageway is clear of Iranian mines, Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters.

Cooper said Iran launched missiles, drones, and small boats at civilian ships that were under U.S. military protection and "each and every" threat has been defeated. He added that six of those small boats had been sunk.

TOPSHOT - In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on May 4, 2026, vessels are pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. (Photo by Amirhossein KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP via Getty Images) /

Here is the latest from Tuesday:

Iran accuses US of violating ceasefire

6:26 a.m. ET: Iran's parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the United States of undermining shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz. 

In a social media post, he said that Iran has not responded to the U.S. attempt to reopen the strait, "We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet."