The U.S. is using an Iranian smuggling tactic to sneak oil out of the Gulf

The United States military has overseen scores of secretive ship-to-ship oil transfers to keep Gulf energy exports flowing, using aerial and water drones as well as helicopters in an operation to guide convoys to awaiting tankers. 

Why it matters

Ship-to-ship transfers, while risky and inefficient, appear tied to Trump administration efforts to restore Gulf oil flows. Reuters could not determine whether the preliminary peace deal with Iran affected the transfers.