CENTCOM says 1B barrels of oil crossed Hormuz under US military escort

The head of U.S. Central Command declared Saturday that more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil have moved through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months under American military protection, marking what he called the highest volume of energy shipments through the contested waterway in six months.

Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video statement that U.S. forces have provided coordinated protection for more than 2,000 commercial vessel transits and that the strait's primary shipping lanes have been cleared of mines. He claimed Iran has "exported zero barrels" of oil during the period, attributing the shutout to what he called the U.S. "ironclad blockade".fortune+1

The milestone represents a sharp increase from earlier figures. As of early September, the U.S. military had assisted approximately 1,600 vessels and over 800 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since May, according to CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins. Cooper said the volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquefied natural gas transiting over the past two weeks was the highest since shortly after the war began in February.stripes+1

Iran Continues to Contest the Waterway

The announcement came as Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it struck the Togo-flagged oil tanker Trend on Thursday night over what it described as an "illegal attempt" to pass through the strait, according to Iranian state media. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the report. The IRGC Navy warned that vessels attempting to pass without authorization would face "destruction".arkansasonline+1

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that another tanker was struck Wednesday by an "unknown projectile" while transiting the strait, with the crew reported safe. The ISW-CTP assessed that Iran "almost certainly" launched projectiles at two separate tankers on September 16 and 17.apnews+1

Despite Iran's continued attacks, shipping monitors say daily vessel transits through the southern route have returned to 40 percent of pre-war levels, according to U.S. officials who spoke to Axios. Still, only four commodity vessels crossed the strait on Thursday, according to NewsNation, underscoring the gap between incremental progress and normal operations.newsnationnow+1

Saudi Arabia Reroutes Exports Through Hormuz

Saudi Arabia has begun diverting oil exports back through the Strait of Hormuz, loading around 60 million barrels at its eastern Port of Ras Tanura for September and October shipments, according to trade sources cited by Reuters. The shift reflects Riyadh's assessment that the Hormuz route is now comparatively safer than the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where Houthi attacks on Saudi-linked vessels have intensified.criticalthreats+1

Iran has failed to achieve its stated objective of pushing oil prices above $200 per barrel, a threat it made in March when it began targeting shipping in the strait. Oil prices have not exceeded $100 per barrel since May. But the broader picture remains fraught: Iran faces operational constraints on its mine-laying capabilities following U.S. airstrikes, even as it continues sporadic attacks to project control over the waterway.understandingwar+1