U.S. secretly running oil corridor through Strait of Hormuz

The United States military has successfully established a covert oil corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, enabling up to 20 tankers to pass through the southern channel nightly from Oman's coast, according to Axios. A source confirmed that this corridor has been operational for two months, allowing approximately 10 million barrels of oil daily to be exported from the Persian Gulf, roughly half of pre-war levels. Some nights, volumes reportedly surged to 15 to 20 million barrels.

Previously, Gulf nations were believed to be transporting oil covertly through the Strait of Hormuz, albeit in smaller quantities - between 5 to 9 million barrels. These shadow shipments have had a significant impact on the global market, helping to keep oil prices between $80 and $90 per barrel, as market participants had anticipated prices as high as $150 per barrel.

The operation is managed by a task force based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Daily, the task force monitors vessel departures from the Gulf through the strait into the Arabian Sea, as well as empty tankers heading from the Arabian Sea through the strait back to Gulf ports for another load of oil. Ship traffic follows a strict schedule: each night, ships pass in two large convoys - one exiting the strait, the other entering it - each within its designated time window.

The U.S. military provides air cover for the convoys using fighter jets, protecting them from Iranian missiles and drones. The operation was made possible by a two-week military campaign by U.S. Central Command, which significantly damaged Iran's radar and maritime surveillance systems, rendering Iran unable to fully track vessel movement through the southern channel. Despite continued drone and missile attacks, U.S. forces have managed to repel most of the assaults.