The operation allowed 15–20 tankers to move through a southern channel of the strait each night under US military guidance.
US officials said 15–20 tankers have been transiting the strait each night over the past two weeks, with average daily exports now approaching 10 million barrels.
The operation allowed millions of barrels of oil to reach global markets each day despite the ongoing war with Iran, according to an Axios report citing two US officials familiar with the operation. The operation became possible after a two-week US Central Command campaign weakened Iran’s radar and maritime surveillance capabilities, according to the US officials. Iran now has limited visibility over traffic moving through the southern channel, relying on a small number of restored radar systems and “spotters” operating from IRGC fast boats, the officials said. Earlier this week, US forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles, one of the officials said. “There is a tremendous amount of oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz,” President Trump told Axios on Wednesday. Trump also said the US was not currently negotiating with Iran, saying, “They are wasting time. It’s a waste of time to negotiate with them,” he said. “The Iranians still have some fight left, but overall they are a shell of themselves,” Trump said.
The US military secretly helped commercial tankers navigate the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks despite Iran’s closure of the strategic waterway. Some vessels have been struck during Iranian attacks, but US forces have intercepted others. The operation has kept oil flowing despite the broader conflict.