US steps up military activity near Iran – media
Por RT — RT – Daily news
American reconnaissance aircraft have reportedly been spotted around the Strait of Hormuz as tanker traffic through the key waterway rises
The US has stepped up military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, with reconnaissance aircraft spotted near Iranian territory and additional fighter jets reportedly deployed to the region, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday, citing sources.
US reconnaissance aircraft were observed overnight near the Iranian islands of Qeshm and Hengam, while aircraft and small drones were also seen over Kermanshah Province in western Iran, according to people familiar with the matter.
Washington has also reportedly transferred 12 F-16 fighter jets from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to the region, the source said, adding that the increased activity could signal a possible escalation.
The reported activity comes as oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has risen sharply. TankerTrackers, a vessel-tracking service, said this week that crude flows across the US Navy blockade line have doubled in less than a month to around 13 million barrels per day (bpd). It estimated actual Hormuz transits at about 10.35 million bpd after excluding exports from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and Mina al-Fahal in Oman.
The numbers have doubled in less than a month.
The total crude oil egress via the USN-BL is now 13 Mbpd, with estimated SoH transits at 10.35 Mbpd given that Fujairah and Mina al-Fahal together account for around 2.65 Mbpd on average.
This is partly attributed to Saudi Arabia… https://t.co/ZffcwAhQ4J
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) September 23, 2026
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes, has been a major flashpoint since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran in February. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) moved to restrict shipping through the waterway following the initial strikes, while Washington later imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Oil flows through the strait fell from 21.6 million bpd in the final quarter of 2025 to 4.9 million in the second quarter of this year, according to US government data.
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Fonte: RT – Daily news
