US forces conduct risky ship escort in Strait of Hormuz, fending off Iranian drones

DUBAI — The US military has escorted 40 commercial vessels that were carrying 18 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported Wednesday, marking a wartime high after Iran and the US exchanged a new round of strikes on Tuesday.US forces struck nearly 60 Iranian military targets around the waterway during the operation, two US officials familiar with the operations told CNN.The US used a range of air, sea and space assets to continue hitting Iran’s capability to attack commercial vessels in the strait but simultaneously fended off waves of drone attacks as it conducted the risky escort operations for the ships carrying millions of barrels of oil, the officials said.The operation targeted Iranian air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications installations. US forces also neutralized anti-ship cruise missiles during the escort operation, one official added.Before the war began more than six months ago, roughly 20 million barrels of oil transited the strait daily. On Monday, more than 17 million barrels passed through, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC.US military officials anticipate additional strikes near