Fact Check: Did the US Navy detain Greta Thunberg while heading towards Strait of Hormuz?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, a rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that climate activist Greta Thunberg has been detained by the United States Navy while heading towards the strait in a small vessel. Let us analyze the rumors and fact-check the claim.
Claim: US Navy detained Greta Thunberg
According to the viral claim, Thunberg was picked up and detained by the US Navy on a small cargo vessel headed towards the Strait of Hormuz.
"Ms. Thunberg said she was delivering aid to the suffering people of Iran," allegedly said Captain Jon Raebro of the USS Joseph Barron, "We found 40 bags of rice and a case of fudge."
The post further claims that Captain Raebro said that, “She's not very bright, I can tell you that."
The claim has spread on various social media platforms, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, with many criticizing the alleged move by the young Swedish activist, suggesting that many believe it to be true; many questioned its authenticity.
Fact Check: False, the claim originated as satire
The claim, however, is false, as there are no credible reports that say Thunberg headed to the vital strait, which, if true, would have made headlines, triggering widespread debate.
A search on Google for the claim yielded no relevant results from prominent news media outlets. There is also no evidence about the navy captain making such a remark about the 23-year-old.
Moreover, the claim was first posted by a popular parody account on Facebook called 'America’s Last Line of Defense', which describes itself in the bio as ‘Nothing on this page is real.’
The claim is based on the attempts made by international activists, including Thunberg, to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip using small vessels called the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
Iran rejects US-backed UN resolution
The claim appeared as Iran launched a strong diplomatic attack on the United States at the United Nations. They rejected a proposed Security Council resolution related to the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis.
In a series of official statements posted on X on Wednesday, May 6, Tehran called the US-backed resolution a “politically motivated” move, arguing it aimed to justify “unlawful actions” rather than tackle the root causes of the conflict.
This rejection comes amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that carries nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, with both countries remaining locked in a dispute over maritime sovereignty and international law.
