Iraq says it has reached understandings with the United States that would allow Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz via a shipping lane near Oman, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in an Al Jazeera interview, Reuters reported on November 8 [1]. Al-Monitor's republication of the wire report adds that Iraq puts its losses from the Iran war and the disruption to its oil exports at $60 billion, and that Iraqi exports recovered in October after a sharp drop the previous month [2]. These are understandings, not a signed agreement: no lane coordinates, start date or implementation detail has been published, and no Iraqi cargo has been shown moving under the arrangement. It is distinct from Iran's earlier claim, carried in previous reporting, that Iraqi ships were among transit exemptions.

The weekend's strike picture gained specificity. The Maritime Executive reports that on Saturday at least two tankers were attacked in the strait: one caught fire while transiting about eight nautical miles off Khasab on Oman's Musandam Peninsula, with unverified social-media video appearing to show a vigorous cargo fire amidships; the crew was evacuated, no injuries were reported, and at least two firefighting tugs worked the blaze [3]. Open-source analysts tentatively identified that vessel as an Adnoc-chartered product tanker hit once before in August, repaired and returned to the same trade lane [3]. Separately, UKMTO received a report from a company security officer that its vessel was hit by a projectile during an outbound transit; all crew are reported safe, with no environmental impact [3]. That is the first account of the weekend's strikes to reach the official maritime security reporting channel from a ship operator rather than from belligerent statements alone, though the attacking party remains unconfirmed.

UKMTO also said the Iranian presence in the strait is constant and active, with IRGC attacks, attempted attacks and harassment persisting, including UAV overflight, targeted surveillance of merchant shipping and occasional VHF hailing - actions it says demonstrate intent to assert presence along key transit lanes and maintain pressure on vessels [3].

Measurement context is unchanged. IMF PortWatch's latest weekly print still records one transit on November 1 against a pre-crisis norm near 85 a day, and Windward counted 16 crossings in the 24 hours to November 5, three of them dark. AIS vessels under way in the wider Gulf are not completed strait crossings. Whether Iraqi crude, or any commercial oil cargo, is currently passing through Hormuz cannot be confirmed from official crossing data.