WASHINGTON, 20th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), said US forces had supported the safe transit of more than one billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months.
In an operational update posted on X, Cooper said the volume of crude oil, cargo and liquefied natural gas moving through the Strait over the past two weeks is higher than at any point in the previous six months.
He added that US forces had facilitated the transit of more than 2,000 commercial vessels through the Strait with “coordinated protection”.
Cooper said US forces continue to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and safe, adding that Iran had exported “zero barrels” of oil since the resumption of what he described as an “ironclad blockade” of its ports.