US Military Establishes Secret Shipping Corridor Through Strait Of Hormuz, Moves 10 Million Barrels Of Oil Daily
The United States military has quietly established a shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing millions of barrels of oil to reach global markets despite the ongoing war with Iran, according to a report by "Axios", citing two US officials.
The operation has reportedly been underway for several weeks, with between 15 and 20 oil tankers passing through the strategic waterway each day using a southern channel along Oman's coast.
US officials told Axios that approximately 10 million barrels of oil per day are currently moving through the corridor — about half the volume that passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war.
The US military is reportedly helping empty tankers enter the Gulf from the Arabian Sea, where they load oil from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, before being guided back through the strait.
The operation is being overseen by a US military task force based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to the report.
US officials said the operation was made possible after a recent two-week US Central Command campaign weakened Iran's radar and maritime-surveillance capabilities, making it possible for tankers to move through the southern channel with reduced risk.
One US official claimed that the United States has effectively controlled the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz for about two months, although Iranian forces remain capable of posing a threat to shipping.
US President Donald Trump also confirmed that significant amounts of oil are continuing to leave the Strait of Hormuz, saying there is a “tremendous amount of oil” coming through the waterway.
However, the situation remains highly uncertain. While Washington says the strait is open, Iran continues to maintain that shipping through the waterway remains restricted. Reuters reported on August 19 that only six commodity vessels had crossed the strait on Tuesday, significantly below normal traffic levels.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy routes, carrying a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The reported US corridor could therefore help reduce the impact of the disruption on global energy supplies, even though normal commercial shipping has yet to fully resume.
https://www.axios.com/2026/08/19/hormuz-iran-oil-gulf-trump
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