The reports that American warships have sailed through the strait come as delegations from the United States and Iran are in Pakistan for peace talks.
"The action was not coordinated with Iran," writes Axios reporter Barak Ravid on X.
Trump appears to confirm on Truth Social that the US has launched an operation involving warships in the strait.
"We are now beginning the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz as a service to countries around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others," the president writes, adding:
"Incredibly, they don’t have the courage or the will to do this work themselves."
Back and forth
Trump also reiterates earlier messages that Iran's navy, air force, all 28 minelayers, and most of the country's weapons factories have been destroyed in the war. The only threat from Iran, according to Trump, is that a ship would sail into Iranian mines already in these waters.
Axios's source says the US warships sailed from the Persian Gulf, through the strait into the Arabian Sea, and back. The focus of the operation, according to the source, was the right to "freely navigate through international waters."
Iran denies reports that US ships have passed through the strait, according to state-controlled media.
Warning details
The Fars news agency writes on the Telegram messaging service that Iran's military issued a warning to a US destroyer approaching Hormuz from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, giving it 30 minutes to turn back to avoid being attacked. The ship then reportedly turned back.
The US denies that any such warning was issued, according to Axios's sources.
Since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28, Iran has blocked most of the oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
