Iran live updates: US shoots down 2 Iranian drones attempting to strike ships in Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump said the U.S. assisted vessels in traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the effort resulted in over 100 million barrels of oil traveling through the passage and into the open market.

The U.S. worked to execute a "secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz" resulting in more than 200 ships "safely" traveling through the Strait, Trump said in a post on social media Wednesday.

"This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It’s over for Iran," Trump wrote.

Earlier, Trump alluded to apparent U.S. operations to stimulate shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump claiming that the U.S. took 22 ships, amounting to millions of barrels of oil, through the strait the other day.

"Do you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

Trump claimed the U.S. "blasted" Iran's radar, enabling the seizures.

"We took out the other night 22 ships late at night with no lights, because they don't have any radar," Trump said, claiming "that’s why oil’s $85 a barrel."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said on social media that nothing is getting through the U.S. Naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz "unless we want it to." He added, "Lots of oil is getting out."

U.S. Central Command said it disabled a vessel, the M/T Settebello tanker, as it transited in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday.

Three Indian crewmembers have been reported missing after the attack, according to the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions at the ship’s engine crew "after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces," CENTCOM said in a statement.

Twenty-one Indian crewmembers of the Settebello were rescued and India is coordinating with Omani authorities regarding the operation, the Indian ministry said.

Earlier the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center issued a warning saying local authorities received a report the tanker "experienced a fire in their engine room."

The incident occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, Oman, the UKMTO warning said.

India's Foreign Ministry is condemning the attack on the ship saying the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must end.

"We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region," the statement said.

The International Maritime Organization said it "strongly condemns" the attack of the ship sailing under the flag of Palau.

"This is simply unacceptable. My thoughts are with the families of the three missing seafarers and with all those awaiting news of the crew members," IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.

President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is going to be attacking Iran "very hard, resuming bombing" on Wednesday, during remarks at the White House.

"Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do," Trump said.

Trump said there was a bomb lodged in the helicopter that went down in the Middle East earlier this week that didn't explode.

"It was on fire, but it didn't explode. Those two [pilots], they knew how to fly, but they got very lucky," Trump said.

President Donald Trump promised more attacks against Iran on Wednesday saying the two sides were "really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers."

"We have the strongest military anywhere in the world, and sometimes you'll have to use it," Trump said.

"Iran very simply cannot have a nuclear weapon and they won't," he said.