President Donald Trump recently claimed that a secret U.S. military operation has helped numerous commercial ships navigate the Strait of Hormuz. This appears to be supported by a recent advisory from INTERTANKO, the wo...
President Donald Trump recently claimed that a secret U.S. military operation has helped numerous commercial ships navigate the Strait of Hormuz. This appears to be supported by a recent advisory from INTERTANKO, the world's largest tanker trade association. The advisory mentions a carefully managed nighttime transit system operating along the Omani coast in close cooperation with the U.S. Navy.
These details came out just a day after Trump revealed this operation, saying it was an undisclosed U.S. effort to assist commercial shipping in the Strait. In a post on Truth Social, he mentioned that he directed the military last month to perform a "secret mission" that allowed over 200 commercial ships and more than 100 million barrels of oil to pass through the waterway. He emphasized that the operation proves that "the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran."
During a speech from the Oval Office, Trump elaborated, stating that the Strait has effectively been "open" for months due to a little-known U.S. military initiative supporting commercial shipping.
"The strait is open. But the straits have been open for a number of months already, and you just didn't know about it," Trump explained to reporters.
"We've been taking out many ships that nobody knew. Not even the fake news knew it. Quietly at night. We bombed their radar and everything so they couldn’t see."
He noted that nighttime transit groups consisted of between 14 to 26 vessels, with U.S. forces assisting in the movement of commercial traffic while disrupting Iranian surveillance.
While the White House has not provided many operational details, INTERTANKO's advisory from June 5 describes this "Omani route" coordinated with the U.S. Navy. Ships using this route must communicate transit timings and waypoints with U.S. forces before entering.
"The U.S. has continued to strike Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz that have been used for launching drones or attacking shipping," INTERTANKO stated in their advisory, which was reviewed by gCaptain.
"These U.S. attacks have supported shipping within the so-called Omani route."
The advisory points out a unique transit procedure. "While in the route, the U.S. advises that ships should be blacked out with navigation lights off. Radar use should be minimized, and AIS turned off," the association noted.
Trump’s details about the operation and transit numbers align with what INTERTANKO reported. According to the advisory, around 15 vessels are using the route daily during nighttime, allowing inbound and outbound traffic to pass safely in designated areas.
"Transits take place at night, and the numbers are split between both directions," the association explained, emphasizing that the groups are not formal convoys but rather coordinated transit windows.
This guidance provides one of the clearest insights into how commercial shipping has continued through Hormuz amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Previously, U.S. officials had denied that formal escort operations had resumed. In May, U.S. Central Command clarified that Project Freedom had not restarted and that U.S. forces were not escorting merchant vessels through the Strait.
The INTERTANKO advisory does not mention formal naval escorts but describes a tightly controlled transit system operated under military coordination, supported by U.S. strikes against Iranian locations around the Strait.
The advisory also highlights the navigational challenges posed by this arrangement.
According to INTERTANKO, vessels are sailing close to the coasts of Oman and the UAE while disabling AIS, turning off navigation lights, and using radar minimally. The association has expressed concerns about navigation safety and suggested route modifications to improve safety margins.
"INTERTANKO has raised concerns over the safety of navigation and suggested amendments to the routes to enhance navigational safety," the advisory stated.
This document was released amid ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding a proposed memorandum of understanding that might eventually allow the Strait to reopen without restrictions, lift the U.S. blockade, and set terms for broader peace negotiations.
The accuracy of Trump's assertion that the Strait has remained "open" may depend on how one defines the term. According to the advisory, commercial traffic has indeed continued to move through Hormuz but is under a strictly managed nighttime transit system, with electronic silence and military coordination that differs significantly from normal commercial operations.
Regardless, this advisory presents one of the clearest accounts of how shipping has persisted despite months of conflict. It remains uncertain whether the current system is a temporary workaround for wartime conditions or an indication of how commercial navigation through Hormuz might function while awaiting a broader agreement between Washington and Tehran.