President Trump claimed more than 200 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. forces guided them. The claim follows a brief Project Freedom and a blockade aimed at curbing Iranian oil exports. Yet independent trackers report daily traffic remains far below pre‑war levels, undermining the strait’s role as a global fuel artery.

Before the war, roughly 18 million barrels of crude passed daily through the waterway, a figure that has collapsed to about 1.2 million barrels a day since mid‑April. The U.S. blockade has shifted the burden to other Gulf states, tightening supply and propelling gasoline and diesel prices higher worldwide.

Trump also cited 100 million barrels of oil that allegedly moved through the strait over the last five weeks, averaging nearly three million barrels a day. Critics argue the number masks the real throughput, noting that many ships disable GPS when U.S. forces escort them, making independent verification difficult.

The limited flow keeps global stockpiles low and fuels price volatility. With the U.S. naval presence still cautious after a helicopter loss, the question remains whether the blockade can sustain market stability without escalating regional tensions.