Trump's Unverified Hormuz Mission
Trump Reveals Secret Hormuz Mission to Protect Shipping, Claims Disputed by Reports
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Key Points
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One report tied the Strait of Hormuz cutoff to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying Tehran closed the waterway on March 4 and that the renewed U.S. action came after strikes that included “49 Tomahawk missiles and jet attacks” following the downing of an American Apache helicopter.
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In additional comments to reporters, Trump claimed Iran “didn’t know until right now,” adding that “we took out 22 ships the other night, late at night with NO LIGHTS because they don’t have [radar].”
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A separate account cited the International Energy Agency, saying the strait saw an average of about 20 million barrels per day of crude and oil products transported last year—putting the scale of the claimed diversion in context.
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The ABC reported that maritime intelligence firm Windward observed “more than 80 commercial ships” crossing the strait within five weeks and estimated that “most, but not all,” negotiated transit with Iran.
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Shipping data firm Kpler, cited by the ABC, estimated different counts—recording “264 ships exiting the Persian Gulf between the start of the ceasefire and early June,” highlighting how methodology differences drive conflicting vessel totals.
President Donald Trump revealed on June 10, 2026 that the U.S. military ran a covert operation last month to keep oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway Iran shut down in March. Trump claimed the secret mission moved more than 100 million barrels of oil and escorted over 200 commercial ships into global markets, saying the U.S. — not Iran — now controls the strait. CBS News reported the announcement came alongside a fresh wave of U.S. strikes using 49 Tomahawk missiles.
Trump made the disclosure on Truth Social and in the Oval Office, adding a striking detail: "We took out, the other night, 22 ships. Late at night, with no lights. Because they don't have any radar because we blasted the crap out of it." He also said Iran "didn't know until right now." Independent verification of his specific figures has not been possible, ABC noted, because the military has not released cargo manifests or vessel names.
How Iran Shut the Strait and the U.S. Responded in Secret
The crisis started fast. On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a decapitation strike on Tehran, CBS News reported. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded on March 4 by formally closing the Strait of Hormuz, using sea mines and fast-attack boats to enforce the blockade. Major shipping firms including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd suspended operations almost immediately.
A short ceasefire began in April, but tensions reignited on June 8 when Iran shot down an American Apache helicopter over the strait. Both pilots were rescued safely. Within 48 hours, Fox News reported, U.S. Central Command fired 49 Tomahawk missiles at targets in southern Iran — some as close as 40 miles from Tehran. That strike set the stage for Trump's June 10 disclosure of the secret mission.
Ships Went Dark to Slip Past Iranian Patrols
Many of the vessels in the operation turned off their AIS transponders — the broadcast signals that let trackers follow ships in real time. Arab News and Times of India reported these "dark transits" made the ships harder for Iran to detect but also harder for outside analysts to count. That is a big reason why independent ship tallies vary so widely.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward observed more than 80 commercial ships crossing the strait over five weeks, ABC reported, and estimated most negotiated passage directly with Iranian authorities — not through U.S. escort. Shipping data firm Kpler counted 264 ships exiting the Persian Gulf from the April ceasefire through early June, using satellite and radar data that can detect vessels with transponders off. The gap in those two numbers shows how much methodology matters when ships go dark.
Analysts Question the 100 Million Barrel Figure
Experts welcomed any oil movement through Hormuz but raised doubts about the scale Trump claimed. Gregory Brew, an analyst at Eurasia Group, told Seeking Alpha that Trump may be conflating escorted transits with the seizure of sanctioned Iranian tankers. Before the war, the International Energy Agency recorded about 20 million barrels per day moving through the strait. Trump's claimed 100 million barrels over a month works out to roughly 3.3 million barrels per day — a real achievement during wartime, but still far below pre-war norms.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he was "not aware" of the specific Iranian oil volume Trump claimed the U.S. was "taking out," CBS News reported. Trump also said the mission kept oil from hitting $250 per barrel, holding it in the $85–$90 range. But after the June 10 strikes, Brent crude futures jumped back above $94. The U.S. Consumer Price Index recently hit 4.2% — its highest level since 2023.
Diplomacy Stalls as Pentagon Warns of More Strikes
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled the military campaign is far from over. He said the U.S. will "negotiate with bombs" if diplomacy fails and warned that CENTCOM would "be busy tonight" after the latest strikes, CBS News reported. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called Trump's threats "a sign of desperation" and said Iran would "stand firm."
The stakes are enormous. The Energy Information Administration estimated the conflict has already cut Middle East oil production by roughly 11 million barrels per day as of May 2026 and projected a global inventory draw of 6.3 million barrels per day in Q2 2026. NDTV Profit reported Trump said flatly: "It's over for Iran." Whether that proves true depends on diplomacy that, so far, has gone nowhere.
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