US secretly launches oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz - media
The US military has been conducting a secret operation to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz for weeks, Axios reported, citing two officials. It is a significant tactical success against the backdrop of a long-running general confrontation with Iran.
US secretly launches oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz - Media
**What's happening?**
According to media reports, 15-20 tankers are passing through the southern channel of the strait along the coast of Oman every night. Sources say that about 10 million barrels of oil are being exported from the region daily, which is almost half the volume before the war. On some nights, the export volume reached 15-20 million barrels.
This scheme works in two ways: the military not only escorts loaded tankers as they leave the Gulf, but also helps empty ships enter the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea. There, they load oil in ports in the region and then return.
**How is this done?**
The operation is reportedly coordinated by a task force based at the US Army's Fort Bragg headquarters. A daily schedule of incoming and outgoing ships is drawn up, and the movement is organized in convoys - at certain times of the night, one large group of tankers leaves, and another enters. Air defense is provided by US Air Force fighter jets, which repel attacks by Iranian drones and cruise missiles.
The operation was successfully carried out thanks to a two-week campaign by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). During which Iran's radars and maritime surveillance systems were disabled. As a result, Tehran is largely deprived of the ability to track the movement of ships and is forced to strike almost blindly. Some of the tankers have been damaged, but the bulk of the attacks are being repelled by American forces - according to sources, eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles have been shot down this week.
**Trump's response**
US President Donald Trump confirmed to Axios that significant oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. He said there were no talks with Iran at the moment: "They're wasting their time. Negotiating with them is a waste of time." Iran, he added, although "the Iranians still have a fighting spirit," has "already become a shadow of itself."