At least 34 Iranian-linked oil tankers have successfully breached a U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, according to tracking data from Vortexa published Wednesday.

The data show that 19 vessels slipped past the cordon while exiting the Gulf of Oman, and another 15 entered the gulf en route to Iran from the Arabian Sea. Six of those tankers carried a combined 10.7 million barrels of crude, worth an estimated $910 million in revenue for Tehran.

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The figures directly contradict Trump’s Tuesday assessment of the blockade, which the administration says is designed to pressure Iran into a peace agreement. Trump called the operation highly effective.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) offered a different metric, reporting that the U.S. Navy has forced 28 Iranian vessels to turn back to port since the restrictions began.

Washington imposed the naval blockade on April 13, initially targeting Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman, despite a truce agreed just days earlier. On April 16, the White House expanded the restrictions to include any high-seas vessels carrying goods deemed useful to the conflict.

In response, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most critical chokepoint for oil shipments — aiming to neutralize maritime traffic through the waterway.

On Tuesday, April 21, as the initial truce period expired, Trump announced a ceasefire extension, citing a request from Pakistan.

Author: Victor Miranda

Source: agencies

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