US carries out secret operation in Strait of Hormuz, Trump says
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump stated that the American side carried out a secret operation during which millions of barrels of Iranian oil were removed, according to the Russian state propaganda agency TASS.
During his speech, Trump described US actions that, according to him, had long remained unknown to the general public.
"Last month, I directed our Great US Military to execute a secret mission to support oil tankers and other commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 million barrels of oil making its way through the Strait and into the open market," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
According to the US president, the operation was carried out at night and involved a large shipment of Iranian oil.
Trump said that nobody knew about the operation and that Iran had not been aware of it until then either. He stated that recently, at night, 22 ships had been taken, carried out in darkness. He also claimed that, since the vessels did not have radar, US forces had destroyed them, and that this was the reason oil was priced at $85 per barrel.
What the US president reported
According to the White House chief, the operation involved 22 vessels that, in his version, were transporting Iranian oil. Trump also claims that radar systems were destroyed prior to the operation, which allowed it to be carried out undetected.
In addition, the US president linked the situation to changes in global oil prices, suggesting that these events were among the reasons why the price of a barrel reached around $85.
Trump did not provide any further details regarding the timing of the operation, the routes of the vessels, or the volume of oil allegedly removed. He also did not specify in which region the described events took place.
At present, the US president’s statement remains the only public comment on the matter.
Global oil prices rose following a recent escalation in the Middle East and the release of data showing a decline in US crude inventories. Against this backdrop, benchmark oil prices moved higher: Brent crude exceeded $92 per barrel, while US WTI approached $89.
