The United States is reportedly sending the USS Theodore Roosevel aircraft carrier and an additional Marine unit to the Middle East as Washington prepares for the possibility of renewed strikes against Iran following November’s midterm elections.
The buildup comes amid President Trump’s threats to resume attacks and signs that Tehran’s efforts to choke off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have lost much of their effectiveness.
Figures from maritime tracking firm Kpler show that oil shipments through the strategic waterway averaged 13.1 million barrels per day last week, approximately 77% of the prewar level of 17.1 million barrels. Separately, JPMorgan estimates that total oil flowing out of the Middle East has recovered to roughly 98% of prewar levels, reflecting a broader recovery in regional exports.
The recovery has been supported by a complex military operation involving U.S. Navy escorts and covert transits through the strait. Iran had restricted passage for months, allowing only limited numbers of vessels through while carrying out at least 71 attacks since March 1, 2026.
The reopening has weakened one of Tehran’s principal pressure points against the international community. However, the improved shipping situation has yet to bring oil prices back to prewar levels. Crude remains around $100 per barrel, more than 35% higher than before the war, keeping pressure on fuel and goods prices worldwide.
Meanwhile, Iranian vessels remain blocked from passing through the strait. Approximately 20 empty Iranian oil tankers are reportedly stranded near Sri Lanka and Malaysia, with their engines shut down and dwindling supplies of food, fuel and drinking water.
The tankers had been used to circumvent U.S. sanctions and transport Iranian oil to China. Washington has pressured Sri Lanka and ports elsewhere in Asia to deny them services under threat of sanctions, leaving shipping agents struggling to secure fresh supplies for the crews.
The combination of recovering international shipping and continued restrictions on Iran’s own fleet is tightening pressure on Tehran as the United States expands its military presence in the region.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
