Ship-tracking data shows 279 ships have passed through the strait and 22 have been attacked since the war on Iran began.

Two U.S. Navy destroyers had transited the Strait of Hormuz to begin mine-clearing operations in the vital waterway, U.S. Central Command said Saturday. The destroyers crossed through the Strait and operated in the Arabian Gulf, CENTCOM said on social media.

Two American-flagged merchant ships made it through the Strait of Hormuz, the US military announced Monday, the first indication that the Trump administration was restoring the flow of shipping traffic in the crucial waterway.

Since the start of the US blockade on Monday, 15 vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, nine of which have links to Iran, BBC Verify analysis of ship-tracking data suggests.

The United States said it is ready to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in a new effort to end the blockade wreaking havoc on the global economy.

US crude oil prices fell further after President Donald Trump signalled a possible deal to end the Iran war. Brent dropped more than 6% to about $103 a barrel, while US crude slid nearly 7% to around $95,

WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have quietly reopened their bases and airspace to the US military, which could allow President Trump to re-up his currently paused “Project Freedom” mission to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against Iranian attacks,

The exchanges hours after several UN countries backed an resolution condemning Iran for its takeover of the Strait of Hormuz.