The U.S. military has established a protected shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz that is moving nearly 10 million barrels of oil a day into global markets despite continued Iranian attacks, according to U.S. officials.
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The operation has been underway for several weeks, with 15 to 20 tankers regularly traveling through a southern channel near Oman, two U.S. officials told Axios. Current shipments amount to roughly half the oil that passed through the strait before the war disrupted traffic.
The effort provides a significant boost to global energy supplies after the conflict sent oil prices sharply higher.
“We have been controlling the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz for two months now,” one U.S. official told Axios. “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps can be a nuisance, but they don’t control the strait. We do.”
The operation includes escorting loaded tankers out of the Persian Gulf while helping empty vessels enter, collect oil from Gulf countries and return safely through the strait.
A task force operating from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, coordinates the movements with U.S. regional partners. Tankers travel in organized inbound and outbound groups during designated periods under American military guidance.
U.S. Air Force fighter jets provide protection against Iranian drones and cruise missiles.
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Officials said the corridor became possible after a two-week U.S. Central Command campaign significantly degraded Iranian radar and maritime surveillance capabilities. Tehran is now relying on limited radar coverage and observers aboard Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fast boats, according to the officials.
Iran has continued launching drones and missiles toward shipping traffic, but U.S. forces have intercepted many of the attacks. American forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles earlier this week, one official said.
Oil shipments through the corridor have steadily increased. Although daily exports are approaching 10 million barrels, officials said between 15 million and 20 million barrels have passed through on some nights.
“There is a tremendous amount of oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz,” President Donald Trump told Axios on Wednesday.
Trump also dismissed the prospect of immediate negotiations with Tehran.
“They are wasting time. It’s a waste of time to negotiate with them,” Trump said. “The Iranians still have some fight left, but overall they are a shell of themselves.”
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