US Commander Says Hormuz Oil Shipments Reach Six-Month High

Oil and liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have hit their highest level in six months over the past two weeks, according to the head of US Central Command. The commander said this reflects growing success from American naval protection and mine-clearance operations in the critical waterway.

According to the commander, the strait’s main shipping lanes are now clear of mines, with Persian Gulf allies moving more than one billion barrels of crude through the passage over the past couple of months.

Broader Regional Tensions Persist

These improvements come amid a broader global oil supply squeeze that intensified over the summer, partly driven by drone attacks connected to the ongoing Iran conflict that disrupted a Saudi pipeline bypassing the strait. Iran continues to maintain that it has closed the strait, and regional talks on establishing agreed shipping routes have stalled.

Saudi Arabia experienced renewed security concerns this weekend, with two early morning air raid alerts issued for Riyadh, the first since the height of tensions between the US and Iran earlier this year. Officials said the danger passed shortly after both incidents.

Political and Economic Stakes Remain High

With rising gasoline and diesel prices weighing on voters ahead of the midterm elections, the Trump administration has repeatedly pointed to tanker traffic volumes through the strait as evidence of stabilizing conditions. The US Energy Secretary recently estimated that markets currently depend on roughly ten million barrels of crude and oil products moving through the strait daily, describing conditions as tight but manageable.

Iran’s Oil Exports Remain at Zero

The commander noted that Iran has exported no oil barrels as the US continues enforcing its blockade in the region, while allied nations and shipping companies work together to further increase transit volume through the strait.