US secretly transfers oil in Gulf of Oman, mimicking Iran's sanctions evasion tactics
US forces have overseen dozens of covert ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Gulf of Oman, using drones and helicopters to ensure continuous exports. The operation employs a technique long used by Iran to bypass sanctions.
Covert Oil Transfer Operations
US forces have overseen dozens of secret ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Gulf of Oman to ensure uninterrupted exports from the region, Reuters reports. The operation involved drones and helicopters and took place near the Strait of Hormuz.
Mimicking Iranian Techniques
The agency notes that the US used a transfer technique that Iran has long employed to evade sanctions. This method allows oil to be pumped between vessels on the open sea, thus hiding its origin.
CNN concluded that as a result of the conflict, Iran's regime has gained a new and very powerful method to harm the global economy.
Specific Locations and Scale
Eleven sources familiar with the operation's details pointed to two specific locations where ship-to-ship transfers occur: one off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, and another off Oman's port city of Sohar.
According to shipping data and satellite images analyzed by Reuters, the operation began in early May and has involved at least 92 vessels so far.
