Arab Gulf oil exports surpass pre-war levels despite Iranian attacks

[Arabian Gulf Oil Exports Rebound Above Pre‑War Levels Despite Intensified Iranian Attacks]

• Crude flows reach more than 24 million barrels a day, Wall Street Journal reports, as tankers shuttle through the U.S.-protected corridor in the Strait of Hormuz
• Recovery comes amid a surge in Iranian attacks on vessels using the waterway, with little progress toward a diplomatic solution to the conflict

Oil exports from the Arabian Gulf have rebounded to exceed pre‑war levels even as Iranian attacks intensify on shipping in the region.

The total amount of oil shipped out of the area during the week ending Oct 18 averaged more than 24 million barrels a day, up from 23.3 million barrels a day before the conflict, according to data from ship‑tracking firm Kpler. The figure includes higher volumes moving through the Strait of Hormuz plus oil transported overland via pipelines to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Export figures exclude Iranian shipments, which U.S. officials state have been completely blocked by a naval embargo.

When the United States and Israel conducted airstrikes on Iran on February 28, Tehran attempted to close the Strait of Hormuz, sharply curbing regional oil imports and triggering volatility in global markets.

Approximately one‑fifth of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the narrow waters of the Gulf before the fighting began, together with refined fuels and fertilizers that supplement supply chains.

In recent months Gulf exporters have successfully lifted throughput through the Strait by utilizing the U.S.-secured shipping lanes along the Omani coast. A convoy of tankers continues to ferry cargo across the strait, reassociating with larger vessels in the Gulf of Oman for onward voyages to international buyers.

Iran has countered by accelerating hostilities against ships transiting Hormuz and other Gulf segments, seeking to press the United States through regional proxies.

The Kpler analysis shows that oil flowing through the Strait alone now reaches more than 80 percent of pre‑war output, averaging about 14 million barrels daily.

Alternative routes—such as Saudi Arabia’s East‑West oil pipeline—now represent over 40 percent of the region’s exports, up from roughly 17 percent before the war.

Even with the uptick in traffic, persistent tension over the waterway and wider conflict spread keep energy prices stiff, with Brent crude trading near $109 on Wednesday.

Diplomatic hopes for a breakthrough between the United States and Iran remain distant. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian noted on Wednesday that Washington cannot await talks while its nation remains under blockade and threat.

Reuters reported at least 18 vessel assaults in the last two weeks, noting Iran was escalating offensives at longer distances from the Strait itself.

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