Washington, DC [US], April 19 (ANI): US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has dismissed reports of food shortages aboard two primary American naval vessels currently deployed in the Strait of Hormuz. He compared the reporters who reported this to the Pharisees, the biblical Jewish group that opposed Jesus.

Hegseth characterised the allegations as misleading, following the circulation of unverified claims suggesting that sailors were experiencing significant hunger and poor meal standards.

The controversy was sparked by accounts purportedly from crew members, who claimed they were 'hungry all the time' due to a lack of adequate provisions.

Addressing the issue on social media, Hegseth defended the military's logistics and criticised the media coverage surrounding the incident.

'The @USNavy is correct. More FAKE NEWS from the Pharisee Press. My team confirmed the logistics stats for the Lincoln & Tripoli. Both have 30+ days of Class I supplies (food) on board. NavCent monitors this every day, for every ship,' Hegseth posted on X.

He further maintained that 'our sailors deserve -- and receive -- the best.'

Reinforcing the Secretary's stance, the United States Navy issued a formal statement to refute the reports concerning the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Tripoli.

The Navy asserted that any claims of insufficient rations or substandard food quality were entirely 'false.'

'The US Navy possesses an unmatched logistics capability to sustain operations at sea, and routine menu adjustments are simply how we optimise our endurance to keep our warships in the fight,' the statement explained.

The clarification follows the viral spread of images allegedly showing 'minimal' meal portions, which some observers argued were inadequate for active service members.

Beyond the concerns over rations, the Navy also addressed queries regarding the suspension of personal deliveries to personnel stationed in the region.

The military confirmed that a 'temporary hold on sending mail into theatre, due to combat operations, has been lifted.'

The statement noted that the 'logistical network is highly adaptable,' and remains focused on supporting personnel involved in 'Operation Epic Fury.'

The situation has drawn derisive commentary from Iranian officials, with the Iranian Embassy in the UK posting a mocking message on social media.

'They want the sailors to use the toilets less!' the embassy tweeted, in an apparent jab at past technical difficulties.

The remark seemed to draw a parallel to historical plumbing issues on the USS Gerald R. Ford, where sailors reportedly faced significant queues due to sanitation failures. (ANI)