Secret operation has opened the Strait of Hormuz for tankers

Despite the ongoing conflict, millions of barrels of oil are navigating the Strait of Hormuz each night thanks to a clandestine and costly U.S. military operation. This initiative has created a secure corridor along Oman's coast, enabling tankers to move through the vital waterway.

Directed from the U.S. Army's headquarters at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the operation, as reported by Axios and the New York Times, allows 15 to 20 tankers to travel in organized convoys daily. Empty vessels arrive from the Arabian Sea for loading in Gulf states, while loaded ships depart in the opposite direction. This managed flow ensures that significant oil volumes, estimated at around 10 million barrels daily, reach the global market, preventing a surge in oil prices.

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It is a surprising success.

U.S. military intelligence and fighter jets provide crucial guidance and protection against potential Iranian missile and drone threats. "It is a surprising success," noted freight analyst Michelle Wiese Bockman to the New York Times, praising the operation's effectiveness in maintaining the southern corridor amidst attacks. However, the effort demands substantial resources, with Joshua Tallis of the Center for Naval Analyses describing it as requiring "extremely much manpower."

Even with this successful operation, the situation remains tense. Since early June, at least 15 tankers have been targeted in Iranian attacks, resulting in casualties. Iran's insistence on complete control over the Strait of Hormuz has caused many major shipping companies to avoid the area, leaving traffic volumes significantly lower than before the conflict began.

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It requires extremely much manpower to provide that type of sustained defense.