According to a report from The Washington Post on Friday, five Iranian tankers were observed loading oil at Kharg Island amidst the ongoing U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite imagery and analysis by Tanker Trackers, an independent oil shipment monitoring group, identified the vessels. Three of the tankers were seen at Kharg Island, where 90% of Iran’s oil is processed and exported, while two others were located at Bandar Mahshahr, Iran’s northernmost port in the Persian Gulf.
Earlier this week, another five tankers were spotted in the Gulf of Oman carrying about 9 million barrels of oil, but these ships are no longer visible in satellite images.
U.S. officials reported that no Iranian vessels have breached the blockade since it was implemented on Monday. The U.S. Central Command stated that 21 ships have adhered to the blockade and returned to Iranian ports after receiving warnings.
In an operational update from April 17, the U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) was seen patrolling the Arabian Sea as part of efforts to enforce the blockade, preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.