{
  "id": 2690551,
  "title": "Great Hormuz escape: 80% of traffic goes ‘dark’ as US flips Iran’s playbook",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/great-hormuz-escape-80-of-traffic-goes-dark-as-us-flips-irans-playbook",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T01:17:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/80-of-hormuz-traffic-goes-dark-and-keeps-oil-prices-in-check-1.500649281"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil chokepoint, something remarkable is unfolding. Approximately 80% of the shipping traffic through this vital route is operating covertly, avoiding detection as they traverse the waters. Kpler, a shipping analytics firm, has reported this significant shift since the past two weeks. Tankers are ceasing their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders and navigating close to Oman, distancing themselves as far as possible from Iran. The United States military is instrumental in safeguarding these vessels as they traverse the strait's southern corridor. The outcome is a largely hidden shipping operation that ensures the continuous flow of Gulf oil, averting an already severe energy crisis from causing crude prices to skyrocket.\n\nOne example is the Greek-owned supertanker Kiku, which loaded crude at Qatar's Mesaieed terminal on July 31. Its AIS signal vanished shortly after; however, three days later, Kiku resurfaced on the other side of Hormuz. This journey, known as a \"dark\" transit, is an essential component of a system of nighttime crossings backed by the US military and intended to minimize the risk of Iranian drone attacks.\n\nCommercial vessels have continued to transit the Strait of Hormuz, with data indicating that 1,300 such vessels have passed through since May 2026. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has provided this information. Beyond simply facilitating the passage of tankers, Gulf oil companies have chartered additional vessels to transport crude through the strait before connecting with other tankers awaiting in the Gulf of Oman. This strategy has expanded the \"invisible oil highway\" in Hormuz.\n\nEstimates suggest that an astonishing 80% of Hormuz traffic has gone \"dark\" over the past two weeks. The total oil traffic through the strait is currently estimated at 8-9 million barrels per day, according to the US Department of Energy. Notably, 5 million barrels of crude were exported from the Arabian Gulf in July, primarily through US-protected routes. Analysts believe that around 1,000 vessels have been supported by the US military in passing through Hormuz in July alone. Moreover, at least 15 ships using southern routes have been targeted since the beginning of June, as per a New York Times analysis.\n\nThis tactic represents a surprising twist in the Iran-Iraq conflict. Iran has long relied on a \"dark fleet\" of tankers that switch off or manipulate tracking signals and employ ship-to-ship transfers to maintain oil flow despite US sanctions. Now, some of those same methods are being employed against Iran, as Gulf oil is moving through Hormuz aboard vessels that disappear from tracking screens before re-emerging beyond the strait, often with US military protection. The difference lies in purpose: rather than evading sanctions, these \"dark\" runs aim to reduce exposure to Iranian attacks and maintain global oil supplies.\n\nThe oil market may not be entirely aware of the full extent of this covert shipping operation. Turning off AIS transponders obscures information, causing conventional ship-tracking data to underestimate the volume of oil passing through Hormuz. According to the US Department of Energy, oil traffic through the strait averages between 8 and 9 million barrels per day, roughly double what some Wall Street analysts and tracking services suggest based on transponder data. Satellite and radar imagery offer glimpses of the missing traffic, revealing vessels around the Omani side of Hormuz that do not appear in MarineTraffic data at the same time.\n\nThe current situation in Hormuz impacts oil prices significantly. Prior to the war, about 15 million barrels of crude passed through Hormuz daily. However, in July, tankers using US-protected routes alone transported around 5 million barrels a day out of the Arabian Gulf, as per analysts. This additional supply is crucial, as the war has disrupted a significant share of global oil supply and depleted commercial inventories. Several measures have helped prevent the supply shock from turning into a massive oil-price surge. Saudi Arabia has redirected about 5 million barrels a day through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, while another 2 million barrels a day have been rerouted around Hormuz. Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela have added over 1 million barrels a day in production, and the United States has increased its output.\n\nThe protection of the southern corridor is neither easy nor inexpensive; it involves the use of ships, helicopters, aircraft, and weapons capable of intercepting Iranian drones and missiles. More than 1,000 ships have been assisted through the strait by the US Central Command. However, the protection is not impregnable, as at least 15 ships using southern routes have been attacked since the beginning of June, according to International Maritime Organization data. Iran retains the capability to intensify attacks against shipping and Gulf energy infrastructure. The US military faces further challenges, including limited endurance; its Bahrain naval base was destroyed by Iranian attacks, necessitating Navy supply ships to travel to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.",
  "summary": "80% of Hormuz traffic goes ‘dark’, keeps oil flowing",
  "key_points": [
    "80% of Hormuz shipping traffic operates covertly, avoiding detection",
    "US military protects tankers using southern routes through strait",
    "1,300 commercial vessels passed through Hormuz since May 2026"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The US military's protection of tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz has flipped Iran's playbook, employing previously Iranian tactics to ensure the flow of Gulf oil and avert a severe energy crisis.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}