The US and its allies have escalated their efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with low-flying attack jets and Apache helicopters targeting Iranian naval vessels and drones.
Air Force Gen. Dan Caine revealed the operation, saying A-10 Warthog planes and Apaches were flying missions over the strait, targeting fast-attack watercraft and Iranian drones.
The stepped-up operation aims to reduce the danger from Iranian armed boats, mines, and cruise missiles, which have halted ship traffic through the waterway since early March.
It may take weeks to clear out Iran's assets, but the US could send warships through the strait and escort vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf if the danger is reduced.
Iran's closure of the strait has sent oil prices soaring, and the US is grappling with the economic implications of the war it launched alongside Israel on February 28.
