Oil and liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz hit a six-month high over the past two weeks, U.S. Central Command says, even as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensify and Brent crude trades near $104 a barrel.
Mine clearance lifts Hormuz transit
Shipments through the Strait of Hormuz reached a six-month high over the past two weeks, U.S. Central Command said, crediting American naval escorts and mine-clearing work. Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM's commander, said in a video statement released Saturday: "Clearly, momentum is building."
Cooper confirmed primary transit channels have been cleared of naval mines. Gulf allies have exported more than 1 billion barrels of crude through the strait in recent months. He also said Washington's blockade against Tehran has left Iran exporting zero barrels of oil. The U.S. military has supported over 2,000 commercial vessel transits alongside Gulf Cooperation Council partners, insurers and shippers.
Riyadh alerts and Houthi strikes escalate
However, the operational gains come as regional violence intensifies. Saudi authorities issued two air raid alerts for Riyadh early Saturday — the first such warnings in the capital since the height of the U.S.-Iran conflict in spring. The Saudi Directorate of Civil Defense confirmed the alerts were later lifted, though two loud explosions were reported near King Khalid International Airport, causing operational delays.
The alerts follow weeks of intensified drone and missile strikes by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi infrastructure, including an attack on Taif on Thursday that killed one person and injured several others. A drone strike Riyadh attributes to pro-Tehran militias in Iraq previously forced the shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, an alternative route bypassing Hormuz. Meanwhile, Houthi threats over the Red Sea have slowed traffic through Bab el-Mandeb, where only five laden tankers carrying Saudi petroleum products exited the strait over the past week, according to Kpler data.
Brent near $104 as midterms approach
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 10 million barrels per day of crude and refined products, making its security a priority for the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections. Brent crude is hovering near $104 a barrel, up from $88 three weeks earlier, with rising pump prices fueling domestic inflation concerns.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said energy markets remain tighter than officials would like, but noted continuous transit through the strait is keeping supply from deteriorating further.
Source: Investing.com
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