CENTCOM Reports 1.5 Billion Barrels of Oil Exported, 3,000 Vessels Safely Passed Hormuz

US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper announced on October 25, 2026, that CENTCOM has facilitated the export of over 1.5 billion barrels of oil from Gulf states since summer 2026 and ensured safe passage for more than 3,000 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz over the last six months[1][2][4][9]. These efforts occurred during ongoing tensions with Iran, which had allegedly asserted control over the waterway and demanded permission for transiting ships[3][10].

These operations secured global energy supplies and maritime trade routes during a period of high regional tension, challenging Iran's asserted control over the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of global oil exports, making its stability critical for international markets[3][11].

What the records show

Since summer 2026, US forces began assisting Gulf partners in exporting crude oil, leading to the shipment of over 1.5 billion barrels by October 25, 2026[1][9]. Over the past six months, CENTCOM forces supported the transit of more than 3,000 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz[1][9]. These operations involved mine-clearing efforts, with US forces successfully clearing international shipping lanes of sea mines allegedly laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)[2][4][9]. Despite what CENTCOM called “IRGC's unwarranted aggression,” over 95% of ships navigating the Strait in recent months have sailed safely[3][4][8]. CENTCOM states this “clearly demonstrat[es] that the United States and regional partners control the international waterway”[4][5][9].

The timeline

The current Middle East conflict, which included US-Israeli strikes on Iran, reportedly began on February 28, 2026[3][10]. Following this, Iran allegedly seized control of the waterway and demanded permission for ships to transit[3][10]. A memorandum of understanding was reportedly reached in June 2026 to de-escalate the situation, but it “collapsed weeks later” after CENTCOM claimed Iranian forces had fired on a Cyprus-flagged ship[1]. By September 2026, Middle East crude oil exports, excluding Iran, had returned to pre-war levels, with at least 16.5 million barrels leaving the region[3].

What changed and for whom

The Strait of Hormuz is a significant maritime chokepoint through which approximately a fifth of global oil exports normally pass[3][11]. Iran has maintained that the Strait “will remain closed until its conditions under the MoU are met,” which include the lifting of the US naval blockade on its ports, easing sanctions on its oil exports, and halting hostilities[1][2][8]. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in October 2026, publicly asserted that Iran had “lost complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz and that its economy was “in total and complete freefall”[3][10]. Rubio further claimed that the Straits of Hormuz were “open,” with nearly the same volume of oil flowing as before the conflict[3].

What the subject has said publicly

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of CENTCOM, visited the Strait of Hormuz on October 25, 2026, flying in a US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter to assess the operational environment[2][5][7]. He affirmed that “primary transit routes in the Strait of Hormuz remain free and clear of Iranian sea mines” and emphasized CENTCOM's commitment to continued freedom of navigation[2][5][9]. Cooper stated, “We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Gulf partners and the shipping industry”[1][2][6]. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was cited as stating that Washington must meet Iran's conditions for the waterway to reopen[2].

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm the specific parties involved in the June 2026 memorandum of understanding[1]. The exact terms of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and the nature of sanctions on its oil exports were not detailed in the provided information[1][2]. The specific impact of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, beyond marking the start of the conflict, was not elaborated[3][10].