US Navy Escorts 1,300 Vessels Through Contested Strait of Hormuz

The United States military has escorted approximately 1,300 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz since May 2026, facilitating the transit of over 660 million barrels of crude oil. This operation follows a regional conflict that began in February 2026 after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered Iranian attacks on shipping and a subsequent US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

To maintain oil flows, the US and Iran have informally divided the waterway into separate transit routes. US forces primarily utilize a southern shadow corridor near the Omani coast to protect vessels from Iranian drones and missiles. While US Energy Secretary Chris Wright reports that seven-day average flows have risen above 8 million barrels per day, private maritime trackers suggest lower volumes of around 5 million barrels per day in July. Both figures remain significantly below the pre-war baseline of 15 to 20 million barrels per day.

Security remains highly contested. The Government of Iran declared the strait closed until the US fulfills commitments under a June 17 interim peace deal. Conversely, President Donald Trump maintains the waterway is open and American-controlled. The International Maritime Organization recorded 17 attacks on commercial vessels during July and August, resulting in four sailor deaths. Meanwhile, Iran continues to export crude through gray schemes, blending oil in the United Arab Emirates and Oman to hide its origin, with the Government of China remaining its largest buyer.