FLORIDA August 20, 2026 – United States forces have facilitated the passage of 1,300 commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz since early May, a spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM) told Al Jazeera on Thursday.
The announcement comes amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which has significantly disrupted maritime traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. The narrow waterway, located between Iran and Oman, normally handles a substantial share of global oil shipments.
CENTCOM has repeatedly stated that it supports freedom of navigation for vessels not bound for Iranian ports while enforcing a naval blockade targeting traffic to and from Iran. Earlier updates from the command indicated that US forces had assisted more than 1,000 vessels and hundreds of millions of barrels of crude oil through the strait by late July.
Shipping analysts and previous reporting note that pre-conflict traffic averaged around 130 vessels per day. Since the escalation of hostilities earlier this year, daily transits have dropped sharply, with many operators relying on US military coordination, route guidance along the southern Omani side of the strait, and protection against potential threats.
The latest figure of 1,300 ships reflects a gradual recovery in commercial traffic under US assistance, though volumes remain well below normal levels. Oil flows through the strait have been estimated in recent months at roughly half of pre-war averages on some days, helping to limit further spikes in global energy prices.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of the conflict. Iran has sought to restrict or influence traffic, while the United States maintains that the waterway is an international passage and continues operations to keep it open for lawful commercial use.
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