Donald Trump has claimed that the United States has been conducting a secret mission in the Strait of Hormuz to help Gulf petrostates bypass Iran's blockade on oil flows. The president said in televised comments from the Oval Office that Iran was unaware that dozens of tankers had been escorted out of the blockaded channel at night with their transmitters off.
Trump later wrote on his Truth Social platform that 200 vessels had escaped this way, transporting more than 100 million barrels of oil to global buyers. The claims come amid months of heightened tensions in the region, with Iran threatening to disrupt oil shipments through the strategic waterway.
Data suggests that oil shipments from the Gulf have indeed increased, but many questions remain about the details of the alleged operation. Analysts have pointed out that tracking ships with transmitters off is difficult, and the exact number of vessels that have bypassed the blockade is uncertain.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, with about a fifth of the world's petroleum passing through it. Iran's threats to block the strait have roiled energy markets, but the reported increase in shipments suggests that some tankers are managing to evade restrictions.
