US Navy destroyers began clearing a “new passage” through the Strait of Hormuz Saturday –marking the first time American ships crossed the channel since the start of the war.

The USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy set off on the mission to establish an open route so that minesweepers could later clear sea mines laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, as Vice President Vance and other delegates embarked on peace talks in Pakistan.

“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of the US Central Command, said. 

The two guided-missile destroyers were only establishing the route for minesweepers — and sending a message to Iran that the US will reopen the vital trade corridor by any means.

The broader mission will involve underwater drones and additional US forces in the coming days, according to Cooper.

Iran responded to the voyage by issuing a violent threat, claiming the US was moving the ships toward Iran in a “possible cease-fire violation,” according to a report.

The fast-moving developments unfolded as US and Iranian officials met for negotiations Saturday in Pakistan.

Iranian officials reportedly warned Pakistani mediators that “if the vessel continues to move, it will be targeted within 30 minutes, and the Iranian-American negotiations will suffer,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Khabar Network, according to Fars News Agency.

According to the official, Iranian armed forces immediately reacted to the armed destroyer that was moving from the port of Fujairah to the Strait of Hormuz.

No action was ultimately taken, and two US Navy guided-missile destroyers were able to pass through the channel, marking the first time American ships had crossed the strait in weeks.

“No issues were reported, and the move was described as a freedom-of-navigation mission,” the Wall Street Journal reported, adding the vessels were not escorting commercial ships.

The decision by the US to forge a path through the Strait of Hormuz without prior communication with Tehran could be a means of “calling Iran’s bluff,” according to one expert.

“This could be sort of calling Iran’s bluff in some ways too, right? We’re just going to go in there and see,” said Dr. Steven Wills, a navalist with the Center for Maritime Strategy.

“The missile and drone threat that the Iranians have exercised over Hormuz has been much more significant so far than the mines. People refer to the mines and reference them – but we haven’t seen them yet,” Dr. Steven Wills, a navalist with the Center for Maritime Strategy, told The Post.

Wills said Centcom has already developed bottom maps of the Strait.

The destroyers will provide excellent “missile and drone overwatch” to cover the minesweeping efforts carried out by helicopters, unmanned boats, and other means.

“You’ve got to have that in there first, because mine sweeping is such a slow, tedious amount of work.” The former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst said it “could be the beginning of a bigger operation.”

President Trump teased the clearance in a series of Truth Social posts earlier Saturday, with one claiming Iran was “LOSING, and LOSING BIG!”

“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others. Incredibly, they don’t have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves,” Trump wrote.

“Very interestingly, however, empty Oil carrying ships from many Nations are all heading to the United States of America to LOAD UP with Oil. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Trump reiterated the sentiment in a follow-up post, saying: “The United States has completely destroyed Iran’s Military, including their entire Navy and Air Force, and everything else. Their Leadership is DEAD! The Strait of Hormuz will soon be open, and the empty ships are rushing to the United States to ‘load up.'”