Iranian Tankers Slip Past US Blockade in Strait of Hormuz

At least two Iranian tankers carrying roughly four million barrels of oil have successfully navigated past the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, according to satellite imagery intelligence from Vortexa, in a demonstration that Tehran continues to export crude despite American interdiction efforts. The Hero II and Hedy, both Iran-flagged very-large crude carriers, were captured passing the blockade line into the Arabian Sea on April 20, part of a flotilla of at least 34 Iran-linked vessels that have made their way through the strategic waterway over recent days, ferrying approximately nine million barrels of oil to market overall. Most of these vessels have been turning off their transponders to avoid detection by US forces. Oil prices fell on April 22 after Iran indicated it had received signals that Washington was willing to end the blockade, with Brent crude declining as much as 2 percent to near $97 a barrel after surging nearly 9 percent in the previous two sessions. Iranian officials stated they would attend negotiations in Islamabad if the blockade was lifted, while US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire but insisted the interdiction of vessels would continue until talks concluded. The standoff has pushed Brent briefly above $100 a barrel and sent market volatility to its highest level since 2020, with the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of global crude flows, effectively constrained. Iran has warned it would break the blockade by force if necessary, while the US Treasury Department pledged to continue applying maximum pressure to degrade Iran's oil revenue capabilities. Most of Iran's exports continue流向较小的独立炼油厂在China.