The U.S. military has operated a maritime transit corridor for several weeks to maintain oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 10 million barrels of oil are transported daily as the war with Iran continues.
Under the plan, empty tankers are assisted as they enter the Gulf from the Gulf of Oman, load oil in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, and then return through the strait. The tankers move in scheduled groups through the southern channel running along the coast of Oman.
U.S. forces control the southern channel
A U.S. official said American forces had controlled the southern channel of the Strait of Hormuz for two months and that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps did not control the strait.
The operation is coordinated by a task force managed from the headquarters of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The U.S. military organizes ships' entries and departures in groups and assigns checkpoints to tankers and other vessels for movement notifications.
U.S. Air Force fighter jets patrol above the tankers to detect possible missile and drone attacks. Officials said the arrangement became possible after a two-week U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) campaign that damaged Iran's radar and maritime surveillance capabilities.
Iran's attacks and oil shipments
Iranian forces continue to target maritime shipping routes with drones and cruise missiles. A U.S. official said American forces shot down eight Iranian drones and two cruise missiles on Monday night.
Oil shipments have recently approached 10 million barrels a day, while between 15 million and 20 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on some nights. The strait is one of the main routes through which Gulf countries transport their oil exports to international markets.
Disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz affected global energy supplies and oil prices. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have continued after months of conflict, while the two countries signed an agreement in June aimed at ending the war and paving the way for a broader deal.
Talks have stalled over disputes concerning implementation of the agreement and navigation in the strait. Negotiations between Iran and Oman on transit arrangements in the strategic waterway have continued without producing an outcome.
