US’s secret Hormuz corridor: How America kept ships and oil moving despite closure
The US military secretly helped commercial tankers navigate the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks despite Iran’s closure of the strategic waterway. 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.As per the report, the operation allowed 15–20 tankers to move through a southern channel of the strait each night under US military guidance. This carried close to 10 million barrels of oil a day, roughly half the volume that passed through the waterway before the war.The previously unreported operation has provided a crucial channel for keeping oil exports moving at a time when the conflict has severely disrupted one of the world’s most important energy routes. The flow has helped ease pressure on global oil supplies after the war sent crude prices sharply higher.
How the US operation works
The US effort involves more than escorting tankers already carrying oil out of the Gulf. American forces are also helping empty tankers travel from the Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz into Gulf ports, where they load oil before making the return journey.The ships are organised into scheduled inbound and outbound convoys each night. The vessels then use the southern lane of the strait based on instructions from the US military.“We have been controlling the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz for two months now. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps can be a nuisance, but they don’t control the strait. We do,” one of the US officials, who has direct knowledge of the matter, told Axios.The task force coordinating the operation is based at the Army headquarters in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and works with Gulf partners to compile daily lists of tankers moving through the strait.US Air Force fighter jets are also providing protection against Iranian drones and cruise missiles as the vessels make the crossing.
Iran’s ability to monitor traffic weakened
According to the US officials, the operation became possible after a two-week US Central Command campaign weakened Iran’s radar and maritime surveillance capabilities.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.With its surveillance capabilities degraded, Iran has been launching drones and cruise missiles towards areas where it believes commercial ships may be travelling.Some vessels have been struck during Iranian attacks, but US forces have intercepted others. Earlier this week, US forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles, one of the officials said.
Oil exports approach 10 million barrels a day
The operation has kept oil flowing despite the broader conflict. 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.On some days, as many as 15 million to 20 million barrels of oil moved out of the Gulf. More than 20 ships were scheduled to cross the southern lane on one night this week, potentially carrying about 15 million barrels of oil.The volumes remain below pre-war levels, but US officials say the continuing shipments are making a noticeable difference to global energy supplies.“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.
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