US military says it helped Gulf states export 1.5 billion barrels of oil

U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced it has aided Gulf nations in exporting 1.5 billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the summer, bypassing an Iranian blockade. The milestone was reached as Middle East crude oil exports returned to pre-war levels in September, according to maritime tracking data, with over 16.5 million barrels leaving the region excluding Iran.

More than 3,000 commercial vessels successfully navigated the strait with support from Centcom forces over the last six months. Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper highlighted the safety of over 95% of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The admiral emphasized the ongoing efforts to keep the primary transit routes in the Hormuz clear of Iranian sea mines, a testament to the hard work of U.S. personnel.

Iran's control over the vital waterway has been in place since the Middle East war's escalation with U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic on February 28. Iran has demanded permission for ships to transit the strait, which normally accounts for a fifth of global oil exports. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in recent months that Iran has lost complete control of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming Tehran's economy is in a state of total and complete freefall.

Despite these assertions, data from the maritime tracking firm Kpler reveals that crude oil exports have reached pre-war levels in September, with at least 16.5 million barrels leaving the region excluding Iran.