Iran exporting oil through closed Strait of Hormuz

Iran has continued to send large amounts of crude oil via the Strait of Hormuz to China even as the war between U.S.-Israel and Iran has jeopardized broader supplies through the critical waterway.

Iran has sent at least 11.7 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on February 28, all of which were headed to China, co-founder of TankerTrackers  Samir Madani, CNBC reported.

Shipping intelligence data provider Kpler estimates around 12 million barrels of crude oil to have passed through the strait since the war started.

"Given that China has been the primary buyer of Iranian crude in recent years, a significant share of these barrels could ultimately head there," crude analyst at Kpler Nhway Khin Soe said.

According to him, confirming the final destination for these vessels had become increasingly challenging.

The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that has been critical to the transportation of about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas, has seen shipping traffic slow to a trickle since the war started last month, with tankers largely avoiding the besieged waterway.