Strait of Hormuz alert: US reroutes global shipping to Omani waters to avoid Iranian 'minefields'

The United States has begun actively directing commercial shipping through a newly secured transit corridor in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the traditional route near Iranian waters may now be "extremely hazardous" due to sea mines. According to new advisories issued by the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) and USNAVCENT, the regional maritime threat level in the Strait of Hormuz has been raised to "CRITICAL," with vessels urged to avoid the normal Traffic Separation Scheme and instead route through a US-cleared path south of it, closer to Omani territorial waters.

Why are ships being rerouted in Hormuz?

US military officials say the decision follows weeks of mine-clearing operations after Iran allegedly laid new mines in the strait, including deployments reportedly detected on April 23.

The updated guidance warns mariners that transit through or near the usual route should be considered "extremely hazardous" because of mines "not fully surveyed and mitigated."

What new route is the US Navy advising?

According to the JMIC advisory, commercial operators need to maintain constant VHF Channel 16 monitoring. They've also been advised to coordinate with Omani authorities and review mine and threat intelligence before transit. Additionally, they've been asked to flag unusual activity immediately.

"Vessels choosing to transit the Strait of Hormuz should consider routing via Oman territorial waters south of the Traffic Separation Scheme. Due to anticipated traffic volume, coordination with Oman authorities via VHF channel 16 is advised to maintain safety of navigation," reads the notice.

"Transit via or in close proximity to the Traffic Separation Scheme should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated," it warns.

Pentagon shifts tone on Iranian mines

The warnings also reflect a sharp change in Washington’s public posture. Earlier this year, US officials publicly downplayed reports of Iranian mine deployment. In march, US President Donald Trump said, "we have no reports of them doing so."

But officials now openly acknowledge that mines are present, with US Central Command confirming that naval forces have been working for weeks to establish a safe shipping lane. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the laying of mines "illegal," noting "I don't know if people appreciate how outrageous this is".

"That any country would try to fire at, to sink commercial vessels or put mines in the water — both of these things are illegal," he said at the Tuesday (May 5) White House briefing.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also warned Iran against any further deployment, calling additional mining a ceasefire violation.

Global trade bottleneck

Despite the new corridor, only two US commercial vessels have reportedly exited the Persian Gulf in recent days, compared with more than 1,500 ships said to be waiting in the region.

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