CENTCOM: Trade through Hormuz at a six-month high — safe passage of nearly 200 ships in one week

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today that the volume of crude oil, goods and liquefied natural gas passing through the Strait of Hormuz has reached its highest level in six months, signaling a possible turning point in the global supply crisis.

In a statement published on the X platform, CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said U.S. military forces have helped ensure the safe passage of nearly 200 merchant ships over the past week. According to him, the main transit lanes in the strategic strait are now cleared of mines.

“We are working with every partner in the region, strengthening their air defenses, forming a new coalition and ensuring that the critical flow of trade through the strait continues,” Cooper said. He added that CENTCOM “could not be more ready” to help guarantee freedom of navigation in the strait.

The statement comes after Iran warned on Wednesday that it could close the Strait of Hormuz and strike U.S. targets in the region if attacked by the United States. Tensions over the strait, through which a large share of global oil exports passes, remain high.

Source: Al Jazeera