A stunning report by The New York Times has shed light on an alleged covert U.S. military operation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important waterways. According to the report, U.S. Central Command has been quietly coordinating the movement of commercial vessels through the narrow passage amid heightened tensions with Iran. Some ships reportedly switched off their transponders and traveled along routes closer to Oman to avoid detection. The revelations come as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of a major geopolitical standoff following the U.S.-Iran confrontation. As Washington weighs a possible agreement to reopen the waterway and Tehran insists the strait is not up for negotiation, the battle over one of the world's most vital trade routes continues to send shockwaves through global energy markets.