Tankers in the Strait of Hormuz (File)
EA on International Media: Trump Camp’s Dead End in Iran War
UPDATES: US War on Iran, Day 176 — Memorandum of Understanding Expires
UPDATE 0605 GMT:
Israel continued artillery shelling and demolitions in southern Lebanon overnight.
Shelling and demolition operations were reported on the town of al-Mansouri, around Bayt al-Sayyad, and on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun. Lebanon’s State news agency noted, “No homes remained undamaged.”
Demolitions were also reported in Haddatha, Beit Yahoun, and Aita al-Jabal. Israeli drones are flying continuously over villages and towns.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Refusing to negotiate with Iran on the basis of June’s Memorandum of Understanding and trying to break Tehran’s economy, the Trump camp claims it is taking control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Monitored traffic through the Strait, through which around 20% of maritime oil and gas passed before the US-Israel War on Iran, is still restricted. Only 103 ships entered the waterway and 89 departed over the past week, reports the UK Maritime Trade Organization.
Tankers made up around 45% of the passages.
Up to the launch of the war on February 28, daily traffic was around 135 vessels.
However, Trump officials maintain that many more tankers are crossing the Strait “dark”, with transponders turned off.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright proclaimed that the US military helped ship more than 15 million barrels of oil and other products out of the Strait on Tuesday.
The 7-day average is now more than eight million barrels a day, Wright said: “Make no mistake, thanks to the US Navy, oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.”
US officials say operations are being overseen by a military command in North Carolina. The ships move along the Omani route on the south of the Strait.
Donald Trump blustered on Friday, “We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz.”
However, even if Wright’s claims are accurate, the movement of oil is still less than 1/2 the average of 20 million bpd before the war.
The global price of oil continues to climb. Brent stands at $94.39 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate is at $87.06.
