The US Navy is helping oil tankers secretly travel through the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iranian attacks making the key shipping route dangerous.
The US has created a shipping corridor along the southern side of the strait, near Oman. Around 15 to 20 oil tankers have already used this route safely, with the operation running for several weeks, according to sources cited by Axios.
The US is reportedly helping tankers move around 10 million barrels of oil a day through the strait and into global markets. That is about half the amount that normally moved through the waterway before the war.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz was open and that "a lot of boats are coming through."
He also said oil prices have fallen again. "They were talking about $350 a barrel, but today it's $84-$85," he said.
The US military has said it has helped more than 1,000 ships pass through the strait. However, the route remains dangerous, as at least 15 ships using the southern corridor have been hit since the beginning of June.
The attacks injured 16 sailors and killed two. Another ship, sailing close to Oman, was attacked this week, killing one crew member.
The US Navy has about 20 warships, including the aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George HW Bush, along with destroyers, in the Gulf of Oman. Some destroyers are also involved in enforcing the US blockade of Iranian ports.
The Navy has faced logistical problems. Its base in Manama, Bahrain, was damaged by Iranian attacks at the start of the war.
US supply ships now have to travel to Diego Garcia, a small British territory in the Indian Ocean, to resupply the forces operating near the Strait of Hormuz. The journey takes more than five days each way.
The Abraham Lincoln has been at sea since November 21 without a port visit for the crew to rest and will need major maintenance before its next deployment.
The Japan-based USS George Washington is expected to replace it, while no replacement for the USS Bush, deployed since March 31, has been publicly announced.
Greek shipping company Dynacom used the southern route, but two of its tankers were hit on July 19, with one later abandoned.
The United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil company ADNOC has also been trying to move oil through the route. The company said 18 of its vessels have been attacked during the war, leaving one crew member dead and 20 injured.
Despite the attacks, the US military says the operation is helping keep oil supplies moving.
