US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States quietly facilitated the movement of millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz without Iran being aware of the operation.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump described what he called a covert effort to guide ships through the strategically important waterway amid ongoing tensions in the region.
'Something you didn't know'
Trump suggested that the operation had remained hidden from Iran until now.
"I can say it now. Something you didn't know," Trump said. "Do you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran — until right now."
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He further claimed that 22 ships had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in a single night without lights and without being detected by Iranian authorities.
According to The New York Times, Trump said the “secret mission” had been authorised last month and had helped move more than 100 million barrels of oil into global markets. However, that figure could not be independently verified.
US military offers clarification
A senior US military official later indicated that Trump was referring to an operation that involved escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz rather than an entirely undisclosed mission.
According to the official, US forces have been helping commercial ships navigate the narrow waterway while reducing the risk of attacks. The vessels reportedly switched off their transponders during parts of their journeys to make detection more difficult.
The official also noted that aspects of the operation had already been publicly reported.
Hundreds of vessels assisted
Media reports last month said the US Central Command had facilitated the passage of around 70 commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the military official, that figure has now increased to more than 200 vessels over a little more than a month.
US authorities have not revealed the specific types of vessels involved or their exact routes.
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However, officials said some crossings took place along routes closer to the coast of Oman rather than near Iranian waters, where ships face a greater threat from potential drone or missile attacks.
Claim over oil volumes
Later on Wednesday, Trump repeated on social media that the operation had helped bring more than 100 million barrels of oil to global markets.
While the claim drew attention, the reported volume could not be independently verified.
