CENTCOM: Securing passage of more than one billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz over two months

(KUNA) – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper announced on Saturday that U.S. forces have helped ensure the safe passage of more than one billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months.

In an operational update posted on the X platform, Cooper stated that the rate of oil, cargo, and liquefied natural gas transit through the Strait of Hormuz during the past two weeks is “the highest in six months,” noting that the U.S. military has facilitated the passage of more than 2,000 commercial vessels through the strait via “coordinated protection.”

He added that U.S. forces continue to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe,” while emphasizing that Iran has not exported any oil barrels since the resumption of a “tight blockade” on its ports.

Cooper clarified that the main transit routes in the Hormuz strait are free of mines and that thousands of ships have crossed the strait, pointing out that “we are working with Gulf countries and shipping and insurance companies to increase traffic volume in the Hormuz strait.”

Cooper affirmed that the United States is working defensively with its regional partners to enhance their air defense capabilities.