Exxon Mobil has withdrawn employees not critical to its Middle East operations, the company's chief executive said in an interview on Tuesday, as the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues to disrupt regional conditions.
CEO Darren Woods said the primary concern for the company was ensuring employee safety. "Our first and highest priority is making sure our people remain safe, and we evacuated folks who weren’t critical or essential to the operations that we were providing support for," he said. Woods added that, where necessary, Exxon has scaled back some operations to better manage inventory levels while tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz remain challenged.
Exxon holds minority stakes in oil projects located in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The company did not provide additional operational detail in the interview beyond the steps taken to reduce on-site personnel and the adjustments made to activity levels in response to shipping constraints.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor that handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has faced strain as Iran has threatened attacks on tankers transiting the waterway. Those threats have complicated logistics for companies supporting oil production and exports in the region.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he would escalate the war with Iran if Tehran blocked shipments of oil from the Middle East, while also predicting a rapid resolution to the conflict. The president's comments followed the continued threats against tankers and underline the geopolitical pressures affecting maritime routes and energy flows.
Woods’ remarks underscore Exxon’s immediate priorities of personnel safety and inventory management in an environment where shipping through a key chokepoint has been rendered more precarious. The company’s status as a minority partner in several Gulf projects means its exposure is tied to broader operational decisions taken with partners in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Exxon did not provide further specifics on timelines for returning personnel or restoring activity levels that have been reduced. The company’s actions, as described by Woods, reflect a cautious operational posture while regional tensions remain unresolved.