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Market Chatter: US Forces Aids Merchant Vessels Transit Hormuz in Quiet

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The US military is quietly escorting ships through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to Bloomberg, citing US Central Command statements, ship-tracking data, and people with knowledge of the matter.

This comes just a month after US President Donald Trump launched and abandoned the plan, which was dubbed "Project Freedom," which involved safely aiding the transit of commercial ships via the strait, which accounted for one-fifth of global LNG and crude oil flows pre-war.

However, this time, US forces are doing this more quietly, with ships turning off their transponders and making the treacherous journey close to the Omani coast to steer clear of Iranian mines.

The Bloomberg report also alluded to the US Centcom's latest statement, saying that US forces had shot down Iranian drones aimed at "civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters" as further evidence of quiet military escorts for merchant vessels in the Strait.

The report noted that while Centcom had earlier denied reports of escorting merchant ships, it has since said that it continues to coordinate and communicate with ships passing through the Persian Gulf, to ensure their safe passage.

Centcom did not immediately respond to' request for a comment on this story.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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