Crude oil exports from strait of Hormuz largely return to pre-war levels

Iran has sought to exert its authority on the strait since the war began, but its control appears to have declined in recently as oil exporters find workarounds. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

Exports of crude from the strait of Hormuz have largely returned to levels seen before the outbreak of the Iran war, as oil producers and the shipping industry have found alternative ways of transporting crucial fuel out of the Middle East.

Pipeline exports and ship-to-ship transfers are among the methods being used, according to analysts tracking the situation, while the US military continues to escort some vessels. However, flows of refined products such as diesel remain constrained, pushing prices higher.