Cooper Says U.S. Helped Move 1.5 Billion Barrels Through Hormuz While Blocking Iranian Oil
American forces have helped Gulf partners move more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM, while commander Adm. Brad Cooper says the U.S. blockade has stopped Iran's own oil exports.
Oil is leaving the Gulf with American military assistance while Iran's own exports remain blocked, according to Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. He described the movement of 1.5 billion barrels through the Strait of Hormuz as a milestone, placing continued commercial shipping alongside enforcement of the blockade against Iranian ports.
American forces are supporting access to a waterway used by several major oil producers while preventing Iran from using its ports to export oil.
A milestone counted since summer
CENTCOM's written announcement dated October 25, 2026, put the total at more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude exported by Gulf partners since summer. It also reported that more than 3,000 commercial vessels had passed through Hormuz with American support over the preceding six months.
Those figures cover different periods.
The blockade applies to Iranian ports
Cooper attributes Iran's inability to export oil to the American naval blockade. CENTCOM made the same distinction in an October 8 statement, reporting continued crude shipments from Gulf partners while saying Iran had shipped none because of restrictions on its ports.
The command's published enforcement notices describe a blockade covering vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports. That scope helps explain how restrictions on Iran can operate alongside support for other commercial traffic through Hormuz.
CENTCOM has also identified an exception for humanitarian shipments permitted by American forces. Commercial trade with Iran stays prohibited, while authorized aid moves.
Why the passage matters beyond Iran
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Iran lies along its northern side, placing the country beside an export route also used by its neighbors.
According to the International Energy Agency's February 2026 factsheet, roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passed through the strait each day in 2025. That represented about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade.
They show why keeping other producers' shipments moving matters separately from restricting Iranian exports.
Alternatives are uneven. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have pipelines that bypass Hormuz, while several other Gulf producers depend heavily on the passage. The IEA identifies limited bypass capacity as a major constraint when shipping is disrupted.
Keeping the shipping routes open
CENTCOM is the U.S. military command responsible for operations across the Middle East and neighboring regions. Its maritime responsibilities include the strategic waterways surrounding those countries.
In the October 25 release, Cooper said the strait's primary transit routes remained clear of Iranian sea mines following American clearance work.
CENTCOM said Cooper visited personnel involved in the clearance mission and observed commercial traffic from an Army helicopter. He described continued cooperation with Gulf partners, other U.S. government agencies and the shipping industry.
"We remain intensely focused on keeping commercial traffic flowing," Cooper said.
