Iranian Tankers Slip Past U.S. Blockade as Straits Tension Grows

Tracking firm Vortexa says at least 34 Iranian-linked tankers have bypassed the U.S. blockade since it began in mid-April, with several carrying Iranian crude exiting the Gulf while others enter from the Arabian Sea, despite Trump’s claim of a “tremendous success.” The U.S. has detained one container ship and boarded a sanctioned tanker, and has directed 28 vessels back to port, but many ships continue to pass through the region, highlighting Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. The six confirmed crude-tanker departures carried about 10.7 million barrels, worth roughly $910 million at a $10 discount, underscoring the blockade’s contested effectiveness.