U.S. Navy blockade slashes Iran oil exports as Trump administration shifts to economic warfare

NEW: US Navy blockade slashes Iran's oil exports over 80% as the Trump administration shifts to economic warfare, after a dozen waves of July airstrikes failed to force Tehran to abandon its claim to the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's oil exports have collapsed by more than eighty percent under the US Navy blockade.

Tehran loaded about 260,000 barrels a day this month, down from 1.7 million a year ago, according to Kpler. That's the blockade Trump reimposed on July 14, after Iran attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. These are the carrier groups enforcing it, and the numbers so far are 75 commercial ships redirected, three vessels disabled, two boarded.

This is the pivot. A dozen waves of airstrikes in July didn't move Tehran, so Washington switched to strangling the money. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched what he calls Operation Economic Outcast this week, promising the toughest sanctions in history and openly saying the goal is to collapse the regime. Former Treasury officials say total economic isolation was never the aim before now.

Iran isn't folding. Two tankers were attacked this week, and analysts say Tehran has maybe 40 million barrels of storage left before production itself has to shut down. That's the clock both sides are watching.

This is Sara White, reporting for HIT.