Hegseth credited US pilots and an "ironclad" blockade with securing the airway and maintaining flow, though critics argue any recent gains are unsustainable or slowing. French President Emmanuel Macron previously estimated that combined exports via Hormuz and the Yanbu route have returned to more than 75% of pre-war volumes. To support energy stability, the G7 recently agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel over four months, as refined fuel exports remain heavily disrupted.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Private Trackers Dispute Hegseth's Claim That Hormuz Oil Flows Top Pre-War Levels
Commodities17 days ago
Independent shipping monitors and economist Steve Hanke report that only one or two supertankers a day are currently moving through the Strait of Hormuz. This data contradicts assertions by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that oil flows in the strait have exceeded levels recorded before the onset of the conflict. While some analyst reports suggest escorted crude has hit 13.5M barrels a day, Hanke argues that the volume of large tanker traffic has fallen to almost nothing, calling the official US narrative into question.
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