US military oversees secretive ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Gulf
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Discrepancy in the number of ships involved in the operation.
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Story essentials
United States Military
Strait of Hormuz, UAE, Oman
Early May 2026
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COMPAMIR Editorial Team
The COMPAMIR editorial team brings together public reporting and links to the original coverage. We update the page as new information emerges.
Read our editorial policy- Earlier version 16/16/2026, 7:01:08 PM
The US military is overseeing ship-to-ship oil transfers near the Strait of Hormuz. The operation involves at least 92 vessels and uses drones and helicopters to guide convoys. The technique is similar to methods used by Iran to evade sanctions.
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Related book
The Iran Primer: Power, Politics, and U.S. Policy
Author: Robin Wright
This book provides a comprehensive overview of Iran's political landscape, its strategic use of asymmetric warfare, and the history of U.S.-Iran tensions, which is essential for understanding why Iran utilizes illicit ship-to-ship oil transfers to circumvent international sanctions.
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