US Central Command said its naval operations in the Persian Gulf have led to the redirection of nearly 150 ships and the disabling of five vessels to stop crude shipments from reaching global markets. The naval blockade of Southern Iran has prevented an estimated $30B in Iranian oil exports since the summer, CENTCOM reported, while the command provided support for nearly 4,000 commercial vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. These secured shipments totaled 1.7B barrels of crude since the summer, an increase from previous estimates.
The U.S. has supplemented the blockade by establishing Task Force-Iron Gate to disrupt the movement of sanctioned materials and weapons via land routes and the Caspian Sea. The claims of control are contested by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which denied that any mines have been cleared from the strait and claimed shipping incidents continue daily. This friction persists as Brent crude prices hit $117 per barrel amid reports of renewed Iranian limpet mine attacks on tankers.
