The US military has established a shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz that is allowing millions of barrels of oil to move through the strategic waterway each day, according to two US officials cited by Axios. The operation, which began several weeks ago, involves escorting oil tankers through a southern passage along the Omani coast.
About 15 to 20 tankers are passing through the strait each night, carrying an estimated 10 million barrels of oil a day, roughly half the volume transported before the war. US officials described the operation as a significant achievement for Washington even as the wider conflict remains at a standstill.
The continued flow of oil has also helped ease one of the war’s most damaging economic consequences: disruption to global energy supplies and the resulting surge in crude prices. Although oil flows remain below pre-war levels, US officials said the operation has made a significant contribution to maintaining global supplies.
US forces coordinate tanker movements
The operation is being overseen from the US Army headquarters at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Tankers are organized into two groups each night, one for vessels departing the strait and another for vessels entering it. The ships then transit the southern passage under directions from the US military.
US Air Force fighter jets are also being deployed to protect the tankers against Iranian cruise missiles and drones.
According to the officials, the operation became possible after a two-week US Central Command (CENTCOM) military campaign weakened Iran’s maritime radar and surveillance capabilities.
Iran’s surveillance capability weakened
US officials said Iran’s ability to monitor shipping movements through the southern passage has been significantly reduced. Tehran is reportedly relying on a limited number of radar systems that have been restored, along with observers aboard small, fast boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The officials said the reduced surveillance capability has forced Iranian forces to launch drones and cruise missiles toward areas where they believe ships are traveling. Some vessels have been damaged in Iranian attacks, but US forces have intercepted many of the incoming threats. One US official said American forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles earlier this week.
Oil flows approach 10 million barrels a day
US officials said that 15 to 20 oil tankers have been transiting the Strait of Hormuz each night over the past two weeks via the southern passage, allowing oil exports to continue. Average daily exports are increasing and are now approaching 10 million barrels per day, according to the officials.
More than 20 ships were scheduled to transit the southern passage on one night this week, potentially carrying about 15 million barrels of oil. US President Donald Trump told Axios on Wednesday that a “tremendous amount of oil” was continuing to move through the Strait of Hormuz.
