Iran has lost about $25 billion in oil sales to the US naval squeeze, top commander says
The story
President Trump said Friday that the American naval blockade is working and that Iranian ships are no longer making it through the Strait of Hormuz. He called the effort effective and gave no sign it will ease anytime soon.
The numbers from the US military back up part of that picture. Adm. Brad Cooper, who runs US Central Command, said the blockade has kept roughly $25 billion worth of Iranian oil off the market and helped freeze about $350 million in Iranian crypto. Since the blockade restarted on July 14, US forces say they have turned back 135 ships and disabled four that tried to run it.
The waterway is not empty, though. Cooper said American ships helped about 400 merchant vessels get through in the past week alone. Iran tells a different story and says the strait is closed to anyone it has not cleared. An Iranian army spokesman said Friday it will only reopen if the United States pulls out of the Middle East.
Shipping is still dangerous. A maritime monitor confirmed three strikes on vessels in the strait this week, and more than 20 civilian sailors have been killed in attacks on shipping since the war began in February. For now, both sides are claiming the upper hand while tankers keep moving through one of the most important oil routes in the world.
