US Military Says It Helped Gulf States Ship Over 1.5 Billion Barrels of Oil Through Hormuz

The US military says it has helped Gulf countries export more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil since June, despite Iranian efforts to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (CENTCOM) released the figures on Sunday.

According to the command, more than 3,000 commercial vessels passed through the strait with American support over the past six months. It also said that over 95 percent of ships moving through the channel in recent months made the journey safely, despite threats from Iran. CENTCOM said this "clearly demonstrat[es] that the United States and regional partners control the international waterway".

The announcement coincided with a visit to the region by CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper. During the trip, he observed the "current operational environment" in the strait from a US Army helicopter.

"We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Gulf partners and the shipping industry," Cooper said in a statement. "This visit underscores our strong commitment to continued freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz."

Cooper added that the main transit routes through the strait are free of Iranian mines, crediting the "incredible efforts" of the personnel carrying out mine clearance operations. He said the command remains "intensely focused on keeping commercial traffic flowing" in cooperation with the US interagency, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the shipping industry.

Crude oil flows have largely recovered to the levels recorded before the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February. That recovery has come even though Iranian forces continue to pose a threat of attacks on commercial vessels.

Market intelligence firm Kpler reported that at least 16.5 million barrels of oil per day left the region in September, excluding Iran. That matches the pre-war average. Analysts have linked the rebound to a mix of offshore ship-to-ship transfers, US military escorts and wider use of oil pipelines.

Prices, however, have not returned to earlier levels. Brent crude futures stood at about $114.50 a barrel on Sunday, after easing roughly 2 percent from last week's near six-month high. By comparison, Brent settled at $72.48 a barrel on February 27, the day before the US and Israel began strikes on Iran.