Record Hormuz escort: US forces shield 18 million barrels of oil amid Iran strikes

The US military says it escorted 40 commercial vessels carrying about 18 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz on a record day, while striking dozens of Iranian military targets and maintaining a naval blockade. Officials describe a persistent, multi-pronged effort to degrade Iran’s shipping-threat capabilities and keep oil flowing, even as energy prices stay volatile and shippers remain wary about the risks of transiting the strait. The campaign is framed as a broader strategy to apply economic and military pressure, though analysts question how quickly it will alter Iran’s leverage or force a resolution.