The U.S. military has established a controlled shipping corridor along the southern side of the Strait of Hormuz over recent weeks, facilitating the movement of millions of barrels of crude oil per day to global markets, Axios reported on Wednesday, August 19. According to two U.S. officials, the secret operation has partially mitigated war-related disruptions to global oil exports.
The officials told Axios that approximately 15 to 20 oil tankers navigate into or out of the Persian Gulf each night along the southern corridor, hugging the coast of Oman. Around 10 million barrels of crude per day are currently exiting through this route into global markets, roughly half of pre-war transit volumes.
According to Axios, the operation extends beyond escorting loaded tankers. U.S. forces are also guiding empty tankers from the Arabian Sea through the strait into the Persian Gulf, where they reload at regional ports before exiting via the same southern route.
A U.S. official familiar with the operation stated that the United States has maintained control over the southern corridor for roughly two months. He added that while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may attempt to create “nuisances” for shipping, it does not control the strait.
