IRAN SURGES OIL EXPORTS AS US BUILDS MILITARY PRESENCE Iran has sharply increased oil shipments, loading nearly 20 million barrels between Feb. 15–20—about triple its usual pace. The surge comes as the United States boosts military forces in the region, echoing past pre-conflict patterns. Tanker activity near Kharg Island has jumped, and storage levels are falling, showing rapid exports. Most shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with tankers likely to disperse if tensions escalate.(*Walter Bloomberg)