Summary

U.S. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on April 16. (SAUL LOEB/Getty Images) U.S. Central Command said Saturday that more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil have moved through the Strait of Hormuz in the past two months while Iran has exported none under a U.S. naval blockade. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, announced the milestone in a video posted on social media, saying U.S. forces have helped more than 2,000 commercial vessels transit the strategic waterway by providing coordinated protection. "CENTCOM forces have supported more than one billion barrels of crude oil leaving the Gulf," Cooper said. "That's one billion barrels of crude oil out through the Strait of Hormuz in the last couple of months." Cooper said the achievement came as commercial traffic through the strait continues to increase. "We've reached this significant milestone while assisting over 2,000 commercial ship transits through the strait by providing coordinated protection," he said. "Clearly, momentum is building." The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world's most important energy shipping routes. Cooper said the primary transit lanes through the strait are clear of mines and that thousands of vessels have passed through the waterway. "Over one billion barrels of crude have been shipped from Gulf partners through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has exported zero barrels thanks to our ironclad blockade," Cooper said. Iran has disputed U.S. assertions that the blockade has completely stopped its oil exports. Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said last month that exports had declined but maintained that Iran was continuing to deliver oil to customers outside its territorial waters. Cooper said the volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquefied natural gas moving through the strait during the past two weeks was higher than at any point in the past six months. He said CENTCOM is working with all six Gulf Cooperation Council partners, along with insurance and shipping companies, to increase commercial traffic through the waterway. "We're also working with every partner in the region, enhancing their air defense, forming a new coalition attack drone unit, and keeping the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters open and clear," Cooper said. © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.This article originally appeared on Newsmax at https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/iran-hormuz-u-s-military/2026/09/19/id/1269970