Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command (Centcom), announced on Saturday that American forces have facilitated the passage of more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past few months. This milestone was achieved amid a continued series of military exchanges with Iran.
According to Cooper, U.S. troops assisted in over 2,000 commercial vessel transits through the critical waterway. The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital artery for global energy supplies, and its security is a primary focus for U.S. military operations in the region.
The declaration highlights the U.S. commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation and ensuring the steady flow of energy resources, even as hostilities persist with Iranian forces.
Over two thousand transits is no joke. That’s roughly ten ships a day passing through a danger zone safely.
Freedom of navigation sounds great until it becomes freedom of insurance premiums skyrocketing for every ship in the region.
Honestly, I’m just surprised this much oil kept flowing at all. I expected major disruptions months ago.
How exactly does the US ‘assist’ Iranian-bound tankers during active hostilities? The optics here are incredibly complex.
That’s a massive volume moving through despite the tensions. Global markets must be breathing a sigh of relief.