Washington, Aug. 20 (SANA) The U.S. military has established a shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz transporting about 10 million barrels of oil a day, two U.S. officials told Axios.
The operation, underway for several weeks, has seen 15 to 20 tankers enter and exit the strait each night through a southern channel along Oman’s coast, with current oil flows roughly half pre-war levels.
The U.S. military helps loaded tankers leave the Gulf and empty tankers enter from the Arabian Sea to collect oil, while U.S. Air Force fighter jets provide protection against Iranian cruise missiles and drones.
A task force based at Army headquarters in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, coordinates vessel movements with regional Gulf partners under U.S. military guidance.
U.S. officials said the operation followed a two-week U.S. Central Command campaign that degraded Iranian radar and maritime surveillance systems. They said U.S. forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles earlier this week, although some vessels have been hit in Iranian attacks.
Officials said daily exports have risen to nearly 10 million barrels, reaching 15 million to 20 million barrels on some nights.
“There is a tremendous amount of oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. President Donald Trump told Axios Wednesday, adding that Washington was not currently negotiating with Iran.
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