US President Donald Trump. (AP photo)
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that the United States had secretly facilitated the movement of millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s knowledge, describing it as a covert operation that Tehran was learning about only now.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the US had quietly moved large quantities of oil by guiding ships through the strategically vital waterway.”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.”He further claimed that 22 ships had been moved in a single night without lights and beyond the reach of Iranian detection capabilities. According to New York Times, Trump had claimed that this “secret mission” that he authorized last month had resulted in more than 100 million barrels of oil reaching the open market. That claim could not be immediately verified independently.However, a senior US military official later indicated that Trump was referring to an American effort to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz rather than a previously undisclosed operation. According to the official, US military forces have been helping commercial ships transit the narrow waterway while minimising the risk of attacks. The vessels reportedly switched off their transponders during parts of the journey to reduce the chances of detection.The operation had already been reported publicly. Last month, media reports said the US Central Command had facilitated the passage of around 70 commercial ships through the strait. The number has since risen to more than 200 vessels over a little more than a month, according to the military official. US authorities have not disclosed the types of vessels involved or the exact routes used. However, officials indicated that some crossings took place along routes closer to the coast of Oman rather than near Iran, where ships face a heightened risk of drone or missile attacks.Later on Wednesday, Trump claimed on social media that the operation had helped bring more than 100 million barrels of oil to global markets. The figure could not be independently verified.
