President Donald Trump posted Monday that oil tankers "loaded with oil" are now sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz along a southern route he described as "completely safe, secure, and free from any danger." Israeli journalist Barak Betesh (i24NEWS) commented that the statement is false, noting the strait remains closed until Friday.
President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that oil tankers are moving through the Strait of Hormuz on a southern route he described as safe, directly contradicting reports that the strait remains under Iranian closure. The statement was posted on social media — 'Ships are starting to move, many of them loaded with oil, and exiting the Strait of Hormuz. They are sailing along the ‘southern route,’ which is completely safe, secure, and clear of any danger. There are also additional transit areas!!!' — and was immediately challenged by Israeli journalist Barak Betesh (i24NEWS), who wrote: 'This, of course, is not true, because the strait is closed until Friday.'
The Zioneer has extensively reported on the closure and subsequent diplomatic maneuvers. On Monday morning, Trump finalized what he described as a 'historic' Iran deal and announced the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, with mine-clearing operations to follow. However, later reports on Monday evening contradicted that, stating the strait remained closed and the naval siege on Iran continued. The new claim of tankers crossing a safe southern route appears to be an attempt to declare the closure effectively breached — but Betesh's flat denial and the lack of any independent corroboration suggest this is aspirational rather than operational.
What is confirmed: Trump made the statement. What remains unverified: that any tankers have actually transited a southern bypass route under secure conditions. The dispute between a presidential claim and a journalist's on-the-ground sourcing keeps the incident at a Developing confidence level.
3 developments
- StrongTrump says Strait of Hormuz to reopen as early as Saturday or Monday
- ConfirmedTrump declares Iran 'finished' as 200 oil tankers cross Strait of Hormuz
- StrongTrump finalizes 'historic' Iran deal, says Strait of Hormuz to reopen
- DevelopingReport: Trump demands immediate, non-phased reopening of Strait of Hormuz and end to naval blockade
Source and signal
- Internal intake