A new report by Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) details the US military’s secret southern shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, operational for weeks. The route moves roughly 10 million barrels of oil per day in convoys of 15-20 tankers, protected by US fighter jets. The report also reveals that Iran launches drones and cruise missiles at the area nightly—with eight drones and two missiles intercepted by US forces on a single night this week.
A new report by Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12), published Thursday afternoon, provides the most detailed account to date of the US military's covert shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz. The report states the southern route, established weeks ago along Oman's coast, moves roughly 10 million barrels of oil per day via convoys of 15–20 tankers, protected by continuous US fighter jet coverage. Iran launches drones and cruise missiles at the area nightly; this week alone, US forces intercepted eight drones and two cruise missiles in a single night.
The existence of the secret route was first confirmed Thursday at 10:39 Jerusalem time by Axios, citing two US officials. The Zioneer's Eye on Zion analysis, published at 08:49 Jerusalem, had already characterized the corridor as a strategic shift enabling Washington to bypass Iranian maritime blackmail. Earlier background reports documented the evolution of the crisis: OSINT data from August 4 indicated dark oil flow through the southern corridor, and a report on August 10 noted Iran was launching roughly five drones nightly with no US response. The new N12 report reveals a significant escalation in both US defense and Iranian offensive activity.
According to Rozentzweig, the route was enabled by a series of night strikes that degraded Iran's coastal radar and naval surveillance. Tehran's ability to monitor the southern corridor is now limited to a few repaired radars and small IRGC speedboats, forcing it to launch imprecise area attacks. The corridor moves about half the pre-war throughput of the strait. The Eye on Zion analysis noted that this logistical feat provides the US with greater freedom of action for the economic pressure operations announced by President Trump. The details also confirm earlier admissions by the US Energy Secretary, who acknowledged the strait remains effectively closed and requires military escort for transit (as The Zioneer reported on June 30).
The report's operational details, while sourced from an Israeli journalist with access to regional intelligence, have not been independently verified. The intercept figures represent a single night, and the sustainability of the corridor under continued Iranian nightly attacks remains an open question. No US official has confirmed the specific number of interceptions.
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