Iran has been sneaking oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz over the past few days, even before the US said it would reimpose a blockade of Iranian ports as hostilities escalated. The covert movements suggest Tehran is racing to export crude ahead of tighter enforcement.

Trump has amplified threats against Iranian oil shipments, vowing to cut exports to zero. The US military has increased patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint for global oil flows. Satellite imagery shows tankers disabling transponders near Iranian waters before slipping through the strait under cover of darkness.

Analysts say the tactic mirrors 2019 evasion methods when Iran used ship-to-ship transfers and false flags to circumvent sanctions. The current surge precedes an anticipated blockade announcement that would authorize boarding and seizing vessels carrying Iranian oil.

Oil markets have reacted nervously, with Brent crude swinging on each escalation. Traders fear a miscalculation could trigger a wider conflict, disrupting up to 20% of global supply transiting the strait daily.