Trump Rules Out Iran Strike Today as US CENTCOM Chief Visits Strait of Hormuz and Declares Shipping Lanes Clear of Mines

United States President Donald Trump has ruled out an American strike on Iran today, telling reporters “There will not be a strike today”, on the same day the commander of US Central Command visited the Strait of Hormuz and declared its shipping lanes clear of Iranian sea mines.

Main News Report

The commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, visited the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, 25 October, Al Arabiya reported, citing a CENTCOM statement posted on X. Cooper flew over the strategic waterway aboard a US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter to assess the operational environment, and met US service members involved in the mine-clearance operation.

According to CENTCOM, US forces have helped regional partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since the summer, and more than 3,000 commercial vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz with US support over the past six months. The command said more than 95 per cent of vessels navigating the strait had passed through safely in recent months, despite what it described as continued aggression by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

• Who: CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper, visiting the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, 25 October 2026.
• What he declared: “Today, primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear of Iranian sea mines.”
• The figures: More than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil exported with US help since the summer; more than 3,000 commercial vessels transited with US support over six months; more than 95 per cent of vessels passed safely in recent months.
• The Trump line: “Would I tell you that? The answer is no. There will not be a strike today.”

Asked by a reporter whether a US attack on Iran could take place as soon as today, Trump replied: “Would I tell you that? The answer is no. There will not be a strike today.” He did not rule out military action at a later date. Earlier on Sunday, Trump said he had yet to make a decision on whether to renew strikes against Iran, saying: “Should I finish the job — which would be very easy to do — or should I reach an agreement? That is the whole decision.” He added that the US is actively monitoring activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and three other sites allegedly destroyed in previous strikes, saying: “There isn’t much activity going on there.”

Background Context

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints for oil shipments. Iran has claimed control over the strait since the outbreak of its conflict with the United States and Israel earlier this year, and has repeatedly targeted vessels attempting to transit without its authorisation, while Washington has maintained a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports. An April 8 ceasefire brought an end to the most intense fighting, but tensions have risen again in recent days.

On Friday, Trump said Washington was weighing another military operation against Iran, saying the US “may do another little Epic Fury”, as PakInsight Hub reported in its coverage of his warning and Tehran’s “apocalyptic war” response. Earlier on Sunday, Iran denied a reported new Hormuz offer to the US through a Pakistan mediator, calling the report a “lie and fabrication”, while Iran’s army said it shot down a US drone over Bandar Abbas, which sits on the strait itself.

Reactions and Statements

Cooper framed the visit as a signal to Gulf partners and the shipping industry. “We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Gulf partners and the shipping industry,” he said. “This visit underscores our strong commitment to continued freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.” He added: “We remain intensely focused on keeping commercial traffic flowing as we work with our teammates in the US interagency, Gulf Cooperation Council, and shipping industry.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Sunday that renewed fighting would not alter Tehran’s positions, according to Al Arabiya. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, claimed Israel is facing a “real and tangible existential danger” from Iran and that only a small window of time remains for Israel and the US to act and completely defeat Iran.

Why This News Matters

For Pakistan, the Strait of Hormuz is not a distant waterway — it is the route through which much of the region’s oil and gas moves, so any threat to shipping there feeds directly into fuel prices and energy supply at home. Brent crude hit $116.72, a six-month high, on 24 October amid Houthi strikes and the wider Gulf crisis, while the price of an LPG cylinder in Pakistan jumped to Rs7,000 after the Iran border closure halted imports. If the shipping lanes genuinely stay open and oil keeps flowing, some of that pressure on Pakistani households could ease; if Washington resumes strikes, the opposite is likely.

Readers should also note what is claimed and by whom: the “lanes clear” assessment comes from CENTCOM itself, and Iran disputes the US account of control over the strait. The visit is therefore best read as both an operational claim and a political signal — Washington telling shippers, markets and Tehran alike that it intends to keep the waterway open.

Future Developments

Three things to watch next. First, Trump’s own decision — a deal or renewed strikes — which he has now framed as the single question before him, and which he has pointedly left open beyond today. Second, whether the shipping figures hold up: if tanker traffic through the strait stays high and no new mine incidents are reported, CENTCOM’s claim will gain weight; any fresh attack on shipping would undermine it quickly. Third, Tehran’s response to the mine-clearance claim, and whether the diplomatic track — including reported mediation efforts — produces any movement before tensions climb again.

Sources

• Al Arabiya: CENTCOM chief visits Hormuz Strait, says US helped export 1.5 billion barrels of oil
• Jerusalem Post: Donald Trump says ‘isn’t much going on’ at Iranian nuclear sites, Pickaxe Mountain

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