22 Ships Without Lights: ‘Secret Mission’ in Hormuz Trump Says Iran Didn’t Know About

US President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that the United States secretly facilitated the movement of millions of barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s knowledge, describing it as a secret operation that Tehran only learned about now.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the United States had quietly moved large amounts of oil by directing ships through the strategically vital waterway.“I can say that now. Something you didn’t know,” Trump said. “Did you know we took out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows that. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran – until now.”He further claimed that 22 ships were moved in one night without lights and out of reach of Iran’s detection capabilities.

According to the New York Times, Trump had claimed that this “secret mission” he authorized last month led to more than 100 million barrels of oil reaching the open market. This claim could not immediately be independently verified.However, a senior US military official later indicated that Trump was referring to a US effort to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz rather than a previously undisclosed operation.

According to the official, US military forces are helping commercial ships cross the narrow waterway while reducing the risk of attacks. The ships reportedly turned off their transponders during parts of the voyage to reduce their chances of detection.The operation has already been reported publicly. Last month, media reports said that US Central Command facilitated the passage of about 70 commercial ships through the strait.

The number has since risen to more than 200 ships in just over a month, according to the military official.

The US authorities did not reveal the types of ships involved or the exact methods used. However, officials noted that some of the crossings took place along routes closer to the coast of Oman and not near Iran, where ships face an increased risk of drone or missile attacks.Later on Wednesday, Trump claimed on social media that the operation helped bring more than 100 million barrels of oil to global markets. This number could not be independently verified.