Strait of Hormuz Mine Clearance

The USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and another guided-missile destroyer are 'setting conditions' for the reopening of the waterway, according to U.S. Central Command.

American officials claim that Iran's 'haphazard' mine-laying has left the regime unable to locate its own explosives, necessitating international intervention.

However, the Iranian military has strongly denied that any American warships have entered the strait, threatening a 'strong response' to any such transit.

The standoff highlights the precarious nature of the current ceasefire as negotiators in Pakistan discuss long-term security arrangements.