US and Gulf Allies Escort Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz in Daylight
The military escorts, previously conducted at night, are now taking place in broad daylight amid ongoing Iranian attacks.
The United States and its Gulf allies have initiated daytime escorts for oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, marking a shift from previous nighttime operations. This marks the first time such escorts have been conducted in daylight since the brief Operation Project Freedom in May.
While the U.S. military has been providing protection for vessels navigating the strait in recent months, these new transits are occurring in broad daylight, according to a report from Axios. It remains unclear how many ships have opted for these daytime passages, particularly as Iran continues its aggressive actions against vessels in the region. On Monday, the Panama-flagged tanker El Gaia was struck, with two of its sailors still missing.
The number of transits through the Strait of Hormuz has surged in recent weeks under U.S. military protection, with one day last week seeing a high of 40 ships crossing, according to multiple reports. Satellite imagery confirms that large tankers are successfully navigating the strait, even during daylight hours, according to maritime analyst TankerTracker.com.
These successful daytime transits present a contrast to the previous Operation Project Freedom, which lasted less than two days and saw only two U.S. ships pass through the strait.
The volume of oil actually exiting the strait remains a point of discussion. The Trump administration claimed that up to 17 million barrels of oil were leaving the waterway daily. However, commercial shipping analysts express skepticism, noting that such high numbers are not consistent daily occurrences and estimating the actual average flow to be less than half that amount. TankerTrackers' latest assessment indicates that the 60-day average of crude oil flowing out of the strait was closer to 7.85 million barrels per day.
Iran's attacks on ships attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz have persisted. Since the conflict began, at least 22 seafarers have been killed in 79 confirmed incidents, according to the International Maritime Organization. While Iran has consistently stated that ships struck recently were hit by sea mines, Western officials suggest that Iranian missiles or drones were likely responsible.
The recent increase in Iranian attacks has also prompted the U.S. to implement timed transit windows through the Strait of Hormuz, creating specific opportunities for commercial vessels. This scheduling began in September, with availability varying daily, based on internal emails from the U.S. Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping, as reported by the Financial Times.