Tankers carrying approximately 7 million barrels are transiting the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection, according to maritime tracking service TankerTrackers.com. The move comes as shipping activity in the Gulf of Oman has surged, with the service tracking 17 ship-to-ship oil and gas transfers on Friday involving an estimated 24 million barrels.
US Central Command said it has cleared more than 200 mine-like objects from the strategic waterway, including 11 confirmed mines. Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that internationally recognized shipping lanes were now "free" of Iranian sea mines.
Traffic through Hormuz remains below recent levels despite the clearing efforts. Preliminary data from Kpler showed four commodity vessels crossing on September 1, down from a 10-day average of about 13.
The escort operations follow the most intense military exchange between the United States and Iran since July, with US forces striking Iranian military sites this week and Tehran responding with missile and drone attacks on American bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq.
