U.S. Naval Escorts Keep Limited Oil Flow Through the Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran’s Attacks

Since the war with Iran began in early 2026, the United States has deployed naval forces to escort oil tankers through the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz along a route near Oman. This has allowed a fraction of pre-war oil volumes to continue reaching world markets, while Iran’s missile and drone attacks have largely confined traffic to the Omani-authorized channel.

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Before the conflict, about 15 million barrels of crude a day passed through the strait. Iran’s attacks on ships using the northern route forced most commercial traffic onto the Omani channel, which Iran opposes. The United States started a coordinated escort operation in May 2026, shifting from the pre-war practice of unprotected voyages.

CNN

• Pre-war flow: ? 15 million barrels per day.

The Maritime Executive

• July 2026 U.S.–protected routes: ? 5 million barrels per day.

New York Times

• Kpler tracking (late August 2026): > 80 % of transits used the Omani route.

CNN

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright: ? 15 million barrels per day combined through the strait and rerouted around it.

CNN

• Independent analysts: 4-5 million barrels per day (analyst range).

The Maritime Executive

U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the United States has “total control over the strait,” a claim repeated in multiple public remarks.

CNN

• Oil-flow estimates: Wright’s 15 million-barrel figure contrasts with analyst estimates of 4-5 million barrels per day and with Kpler’s 9 million-barrel estimate.

The Maritime Executive

• Control claims: Trump’s assertion conflicts with Kpler data showing ongoing Iranian attacks on the northern route and with analysts who describe Iran’s control as only partially lost. No independent source verifies the U.S. claim of full security.

CNN

• “It’s one of the surprising successes,” — Michelle Wiese Bockmann, shipping analyst, Windward

New York Times

• “It increasingly looks like Iran has at least partially lost control of the strait,” — Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis, Kpler

CNN

The limited flow helps prevent a sharp spike in global oil prices, keeping Brent crude around $90 a barrel and U.S. gasoline above $4 per gallon. The contested narrative of control influences diplomatic talks between Oman and Iran over shared management of the waterway and shapes perceptions of U.S. maritime power.

CNN

U.S. officials have not set a timeline for ending the escort operation. Talks between Oman and Iran continue to seek a joint management mechanism, but no agreement has been reached as of late August 2026.

The Maritime Executive