US escorts major crude shipment through Strait of Hormuz as Iran maintains closure

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated following a major US military operation to escort crude oil shipments through the strategic waterway. According to reports, the mission utilized air, naval, and space assets, marking the largest oil transit through the corridor since hostilities began.

Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-propelled sea mines, triggering US strikes against military installations on Larak Island. Tehran subsequently maintained that the strait "will not be opened" until Washington complies with a memorandum requiring an end to military operations, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and the lifting of port blockades and petroleum sanctions.

Before the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil navigated the corridor daily.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)