US military says it helped Gulf states export 1.5 billion barrels of oil

US Central Command says more than 3,000 commercial vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz with its support.

A cargo ship sails in the Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 21, 2026 [Altaf Qadri/AP]

US military forces have helped Gulf countries export more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil since June, despite Iran’s efforts to control the critical waterway, according to US Central Command (COMMAND).

The US military command said on Sunday that more than 3,000 commercial vessels had transited the Strait of Hormuz with its support over the past six months.

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It added that more than 95 percent of ships navigating the channel had sailed through safely in recent months despite Iranian threats, “clearly demonstrating that the United States and regional partners control the international waterway”.

CENTCOM announced the figures as Commander Admiral Brad Cooper made a visit to the region, during which he observed the “current operational environment” in the strait while flying in a US Army helicopter.

“We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Gulf partners and the shipping industry,” Cooper said in a statement.

“This visit underscores our strong commitment to continued freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”

Cooper said the primary transit routes for vessels in the strait were free of Iranian mines due to the “incredible efforts” of personnel who conduct mine clearance operations.

“We remain intensely focused on keeping commercial traffic flowing as we work with our teammates in the US interagency, Gulf Cooperation Council, and shipping industry,” he said.

Crude oil flows have largely returned to levels seen before the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, despite the ongoing threat of attacks on commercial vessels by Iranian forces.

At least 16.5 million barrels of oil per day left the region in September, equal to the pre-war average, excluding Iran, according to market intelligence firm Kpler.

Analysts have attributed the rebound to a combination of offshore ship-to-ship transfers, US military escorts, and increased use of oil pipelines.

However, oil prices remain far higher than before the start of the war.

Brent crude futures stood at about $114.50 a barrel on Sunday, after easing about 2 percent from last week’s nearly six-month high.

Brent settled at $72.48 per barrel on February 27, the day before the US and Israel began strikes on Iran.

美国中央司令部表示，在其支持下，已有超过3000艘商船通过了霍尔木兹海峡。

2026年10月21日，从阿拉伯联合酋长国迪拜拍摄的照片显示，一艘货船在海湾驶向霍尔木兹海峡。[Altaf Qadri/AP]

据美国中央司令部（COMMAND）称，尽管伊朗努力控制这条关键水道，但自 6 月以来，美国军队已帮助海湾国家出口了超过 15 亿桶石油。

美国军方指挥部周日表示，在过去六个月里，在其支持下，已有超过 3000 艘商船通过了霍尔木兹海峡。

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报告还补充说，尽管伊朗发出威胁，但近几个月来，超过 95% 的航行船只安全通过了该海峡，“这清楚地表明，美国及其地区伙伴控制着这条国际水道”。

美国中央司令部公​​布了这些数据。与此同时，海军上将布拉德·库珀访问了该地区，期间他乘坐美国陆军直升机考察了海峡的“当前作战环境”。

库珀在一份声明中表示：“我们将继续与海湾地区的合作伙伴和航运业并肩作战。”

“此次访问凸显了我们对继续保障霍尔木兹海峡航行自由的坚定承诺。”

库珀表示，由于执行扫雷作业的人员付出了“巨大的努力”，海峡中船只的主要通行航线没有伊朗水雷。

他说：“我们将继续与美国跨部门机构、海湾合作委员会和航运业的伙伴们密切合作，全力保障商业交通畅通。”

尽管伊朗军队持续威胁袭击商船，但原油流量已基本恢复到美国和以色列在2月底对伊朗发动战争之前的水平。

据市场情报公司 Kpler 的数据显示，9 月份该地区每天至少有 1650 万桶石油流出，与战前平均水平持平（不包括伊朗）。

分析人士将此次反弹归因于海上船对船转运、美国军方护航以及石油管道使用量的增加等因素。

然而，目前的油价仍远高于战前水平。

周日，布伦特原油期货价格约为每桶 114.50 美元，较上周接近六个月来的最高点下跌了约 2%。

2月27日，布伦特原油结算价为每桶72.48美元，也就是美国和以色列开始对伊朗发动袭击的前一天。