US quietly opens Hormuz oil corridor to keep global supply flowing

The United States has quietly established a southern-channel corridor through the Strait of Hormuz to move about 10 million barrels of oil per day into global markets, with 15–20 tankers transiting nightly and occasional spikes higher. The operation coordinates outbound shipments, empty tankers from the Arabian Sea, and oil pickups at Gulf ports, led by a Fort Bragg–based task force and protected by air power, as Iran’s surveillance is degraded by recent CENTCOM actions. Iran’s ability to monitor traffic is limited, increasing the risk to ships, while the effort aims to ease oil disruption amid the wartime situation; U.S. officials say the move is separate from negotiations with Tehran.