Confirm, delete, then clarify: U.S. changes stance on Navy “escort” of oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz

Confirm, delete, then clarify. back Donald TrumpThe aide boasted in a post that was quickly deleted that the U.S. Navy had “successfully escorted” an oil tanker through the troubled Strait of Hormuz. The White House later clarified that the United States was not escorting any tankers through the critical waterway, which remains at the center of an ongoing crisis in the Middle East.“The U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil continues to flow to global markets,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright wrote in a now-deleted post on X.Shifting narrative sparks volatility in global markets, oil prices plunge after energy minister Chris Wright’s original post. Wright deleted the post a few minutes after posting it on X, and the price subsequently recovered some of its losses.Meanwhile, the White House moved to correct the narrative. “I can confirm that the U.S. Navy is not escorting tankers or ships at this time, but that is certainly an option,” White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said at a press briefing.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also denied the claim, saying no U.S. naval ship “dare” approach the Strait of Hormuz and calling Wright’s statement “a pure lie.”A DOE spokesperson told AFP that “a video clip was removed from Secretary Wright’s official X account after it was determined that DOE staff’s subtitles were incorrect.”According to data compiled by the UK Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Iranian authorities, at least 10 oil tankers were attacked, targeted or reported to have been attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz between March 1 and 10.

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Nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil production passes through the strait. Tehran has warned that it will not export any products from the Gulf while the war continues.More than 20 commercial ships have crossed the strait since March 2, according to an AFP analysis of shipping tracker maritime traffic data.Other ships turned off their transponders to hide their locations as they passed, sometimes only to reappear on ocean trackers after safely leaving the area.Before the war, an average of 138 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz every day.U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has tried to calm global markets since the war began, offering reinsurance to shipping lines and U.S. Navy escort tanker services.Crude oil prices have fluctuated sharply amid fears of supply disruptions. On Monday, oil prices rose nearly 30% to around $120 a barrel before falling back.Prices continued to fall after Trump made comments on Monday suggesting the war could end soon, even as his defense secretary vowed to carry out “the most intense day of attacks” inside Iran the next day.The conflict has already led to attacks on Iranian oil depots and attacks on the energy infrastructure of wealthy Gulf states, long seen as safe havens in the volatile Middle East.