At least five tankers laden with crude oil have left Iranian ports since U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran began on February 28, with liquefied petroleum gas supplies also moving on Friday, according to ship trackers and traders.

The Gulf region's key Strait of Hormuz chokepoint has been largely closed to international shipping since the conflict broke out, with at least nine vessels damaged due to the conflict. Supplies from Iran were moving, albeit at a slower pace.

At least five crude tankers loaded and left from Iran’s major Kharg Island oil terminal between February 28 and March 2, according to analysis from U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic through ship and satellite tracking.

Other data was in line with these numbers. At least four tankers carrying crude oil have sailed from Iran since February 28, according to separate analysis from TankerTrackers.com, a maritime intelligence company that specialises in tracking the so-called shadow fleet.

Two liquefied petroleum gas tankers, both under U.S. sanctions, Fortune Gas and the Danuta, sailed out of Iran on Friday after loading cargos, according to trade sources and analysis from maritime platforms Lloyd’s List Intelligence and MarineTraffic.

Iranian dry bulk vessels were attempting to carry their cargoes through the Gulf and on to export markets for the first time since the ‌U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran last weekend, ship tracking data showed on Thursday.

(Reuters)