Minutes after he said on social media that the US Navy escorted a tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright deleted the post on Tuesday.

Oil prices took a tumble by 15 percent after Wright’s announcement that this is the first such operation since theUS-Israel-Iran warbegan on February 28.

Markets have been roiled by the raging conflict in West Asia, and oil dropped sharply after the initial announcement. It pared back some of those losses after the post was deleted.

“The US Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets," Wright posted on social media before he deleted the message, as reported byAFP.

The White House confirmed there is no such development, but it is an “option" for the future as President Donald Trump has said he will use it at the “appropriate time".

“…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 the President has said he will absolutely utilise if and when necessary at the appropriate time…" White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

#WATCH| White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says, "…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 the President has said he will absolutely utilise if and when necessary at the appropriate time…"…pic.twitter.com/wnQRUuQ9Ex— ANI (@ANI)March 10, 2026

According toAFP, no American ships have so far been confirmed to have escorted oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since the beginning of the conflict while effectively being under the control of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The fighting in West Asia brought many oil shipments to a standstill, as nearly a fifth of the commodity’s global production passes through the key waterway. Earlier in the day, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed not to let even a litre of oil pass through during the war.

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Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News