WASHINGTON: The United States has not escorted any oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, the White House said Tuesday, after the energy secretary’s social media account posted and deleted a claim that it did so.
The shift in narrative caused markets to swing, with oil dropping sharply after Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s initial post.
Oil prices pared back some losses after Wright’s post on X was deleted — just minutes after publication.
“I can confirm that the US Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time, though of course that’s an option,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also said that no US Navy vessel has “dared” approach the Strait of Hormuz, calling Wright’s claim a “pure falsehood.”
The US Energy Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
At least 10 oil tankers in or near the Strait of Hormuz were struck, targeted or reported attacks between March 1 and 10, according to data compiled by the UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and Iranian authorities.
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