US Military Uses Iranian Tactics for Secret Oil Transfers in Persian Gulf, Reuters Reports

The U.S. military has adopted tactics previously used by Iran to circumvent sanctions, secretly facilitating dozens of "ship-to-ship" oil transfer operations in the Persian Gulf since early May. These covert operations aim to ensure the continued export of energy from the region.

Utilizing drones, unmanned boats, and helicopters, the U.S. military guides vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The oil is then transferred to larger tankers waiting outside the strait. This method mirrors techniques Iran has employed for years to evade international sanctions. Reuters reported that at least 92 vessels have participated in these transfers, with the most recent operation involving 17 groups of ships simultaneously conducting transfers on June 11.

Two primary maritime transfer locations have been identified: one offshore of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and another near the port of Sohar in Oman. Both locations are situated near the exit of the Strait of Hormuz and close to the controlled boundary established by Iran's newly formed "Persian Gulf Strait Authority."

An Apache helicopter belonging to the U.S. Army was shot down by Iran on June 9, an incident reportedly linked to these operations. Satellite imagery from that day showed six groups of oil tankers gathered in a small area off the coast of Sohar. However, Reuters could not confirm the specific role of the Apache helicopter in this particular operation. A U.S. defense official stated that U.S. Central Command forces were not involved in offshore ship-to-ship oil transfers, and the helicopter's two crew members were rescued by an unmanned boat.

Based on the volume of oil transferred by participating vessels between May 2 and June 11, an estimated 90 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products have been moved using this method. While the U.S. military supports these transfers through aerial surveillance, compliance checks, and navigation monitoring, there is no indication that U.S. personnel directly participated in the transfer operations themselves.

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Central Command forces did not participate in offshore ship-to-ship oil transfers.