Reuters said at least 116 tankers may have conducted ship-to-ship operations near Fujairah and Sohar amid Strait of Hormuz tensions, while the U.S. Defense Department said CENTCOM was not involved in nearshore transfers.
An alleged unconventional ship-to-ship crude transfer network began in early May 2026 amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and an Iranian blockade, Reuters reported. At least 116 tankers may have moved about 90 million barrels through transfer activity near Fujairah in the UAE and Sohar in Oman, indicating an effort to keep oil flows moving around a major energy chokepoint. The U.S. Defense Department said CENTCOM forces were not involved in nearshore ship-to-ship operations, shifting the framing from earlier reports that had described a U.S. military-supervised effort.