U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a video message Saturday that “momentum is building” in the Strait of Hormuz as “the volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquid natural gas these past two weeks is higher than at any point in the past six months.”
“CENTCOM forces have supported more than one billion barrels of crude oil leaving the Gulf. That’s one billion barrels of crude oil out through the Strait of Hormuz in the last couple of months,” Cooper said. “We’ve reached this significant milestone while assisting over 2,000 commercial ship transits through the strait by providing coordinated protection. Clearly, momentum is building. Primary transit lanes in the strait are clear of mines. Thousands of ships have passed through the strait.”
“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 iron-clad blockade,” Cooper continued. “Even with this progress, we remain clear-eyed and laser-focused as we work with our teammates in the U.S. Interagency as well as all six partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council, known as the GCC, as well insurance and shipping companies to increase the volume of traffic flow through the Strait of Hormuz. The effort is paying off. The volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquid natural gas these past two weeks is higher than at any point in the past six months.”
Cooper also said “the average American doing this important work is in their mid-20s.”
“They’re pilots, maintainers, logisticians, culinary specialists, air defenders, intelligence analysts, and members of every other career field that make up America’s military, the greatest force on earth,” he added. “To all our service members and partners, stay focused and keep up the great work.”
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