Downed U.S. Apache tied to covert offshore oil transfers near Strait of Hormuz

Reuters reports that the downed U.S. AH-64 Apache helicopter was linked to a clandestine ship-to-ship oil transfer operation designed to keep Gulf energy flowing. The operation used aerial and water drones and helicopters to guide convoys to tankers off Fujairah and near Oman’s Sohar, with satellite imagery showing multiple tanker pairs and at least 92 ships involved since May. The transfers are said to be controlled by the U.S. military, not fully requiring direct naval escort, and may have moved around 90 million barrels of crude and products. The reporting highlights the risks of sanctions-evasion tactics at the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Gulf tensions.