U.S. forces have assisted more than 1,000 commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz over the past three months despite what Washington described as Iranian aggression, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday.
In a post on Facebook, CENTCOM said the assisted transits were continuing as of Tuesday and that the southern shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial traffic.
“The southern route through the Strait of Hormuz remains free and open for all commercial vessels seeking to transit the international waterway,” the command said.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
The recent conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted global oil supplies, driving up fuel prices and affecting economies around the world.
The U.S. military has stepped up its presence in the region in recent months to help safeguard commercial shipping amid heightened tensions involving Iran and concerns over maritime security.
Discover more from Energy News Africa
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.