Millions of barrels of oil slip through Hormuz nightly—thanks to a secret US operation.

Despite an active war in the region, millions of barrels of oil still pass through the Strait of Hormuz every night. According to reports from Axios and The New York Times, this is the result of a secret—and resource-intensive—American military operation. The operation, which has not been publicly acknowledged, is designed to keep the crucial waterway open for tanker traffic. The strait is a vital chokepoint for global energy supplies, and any major disruption would have severe consequences for world markets. The reports describe the effort as costly and complex, though specific details about its scale and methods remain classified. The US military has not commented on the claims. For now, the oil continues to flow. But the operation’s existence highlights how fragile the passage remains—and how much is being spent, in secret, to keep it running.