Watch Live: Hegseth and Caine give an update on the Iran war as the ceasefire continues
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury had delivered a “significant military result” in a matter of weeks and was focused on the mission to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The defense secretary said the campaign is moving into a new phase, as Iran now has a chance to make a peace deal.
“Iran has an important decision, an opportunity to make a deal. A good deal. A smart deal,” he said.
The defense secretary emphasized the scope of the US blockade of Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said is “ironclad,” and said that a second aircraft carrier will join the blockade in the coming days.
“Our blockade is expanding and going global,” he said, adding that as of Friday morning, 34 non-Iranian ships were allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The defense secretary said many of those ships were allowed to pass through the Strait, including overnight.
“We see ships moving, there are open lanes,” he said, adding that while commercial ships are moving through the Strait, “there is a lot of restriction.”
Hegseth also talked about the ships seized by Iran in recent days, saying that they were “random ships” that were targeted and shot by speedboats.
After President Trump guidance On Thursday for the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any boat laying mines in the Strait, Hegseth said the US administration has clear rules of engagement.
“If Iran plants mines in the water, or threatens an American merchant ship or American forces, we will shoot to destroy it. There is no doubt,” he said.
Hegseth declined to “speculate on a timeline” of how long it would take the US to clear mines from the Strait, but urged America’s allies to help.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine briefed reporters on the US military embargo, which is being enforced on any ship going to or from an Iranian port or territory. Caine said 34 ships encountered US blockades and turned around, but one, the M/V Touska, was seized.
Two other “stateless” vessels linked to Iran, the M/T Tifani and IM/T Majestic Xwere banned. Their group is still in American custody, Caine said. Both ships were banned from the Indo-Pacific Command area, which includes the Indian Ocean, according to the Pentagon.
“We will continue to carry out similar maritime interdiction measures and operations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans against Iranian black vessels,” Caine said.
Hegseth was asked about him Pope Leo’s latest comments criticizing the war on Iran, which led to the insult of Mr Trump, and the Secretary of Defense defended the US actions.
“We know what our goal is. We know what authority we have,” he said. “We made that clear.”
Hegseth and Caine provide an update war in Iran Friday morning, as the US-Iran round ends you live in the area but both sides are increasing their competition to control shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth and Caine have spoken to reporters several times since Operation Epic Fury began in late February.
While hostilities between the US and Iran have been suspended, US forces have imposed restrictions on Iranian ports at the behest of President Trump, turning over 30 ships so far, according to the US Central Command. At the time, Iran wanted to control the movement of ships on the border, saying on Thursday that it had raised its first capital in the waterway, the most important chokepoint that often carries one-fifth of the world’s oil.
Tensions have escalated in recent days, as the two countries have imposed tit-for-tat shipping restrictions. The US stopped and rode a pair Oil tankers are connected to Iran, and Iran attacked and said to have boarded at least two cargo ships in this problem.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released a redacted video on Thursday that the military said showed masked commandos targeting cargo ships and boarding them. Government of the Philippines said The 15 Filipino sailors aboard the Iranian-captured vessels were “safe and unharmed.”
Mr. Trump said on Thursday that the US has “control” over the Strait of Hormuz. He also ordered the military to “shoot and kill” any Iranian ships trying to lay mines in the waters.
Shipping traffic at the border remains below pre-war levels.
Earlier this week, the president extended the ceasefire agreement with Iran for two weeks indefinitelygiving more time to what he described as a highly fragmented Iranian leadership to strike a deal with his administration. Mr. Trump told reporters on Thursday that he would continue to bombard Iran if it does not come to the negotiating table, but he is in no rush.
“I want to make the best possible deal. I can make a deal right now,” he said during an Oval Office event, later adding: “I don’t want to rush myself.”
The suspension of the agreement between Israel and Lebanon was extended by three weeks on Thursday following White House negotiations between the delegations of the two countries. Lebanon could play an important role in any solution to the Iran conflict because of Israel’s campaign against Iran’s proxy group Hezbollah. Iran forced Israel to pause fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of a ceasefire.
This week was also marked by turmoil in the Pentagon, as Defense Secretary John Phelan he left his post with the direction of Mr. Trump and Hegseth. The president told reporters on Thursday that Phelan is a “good man” but has trouble getting along with others.
“He’s a hard charger, and he had conflicts with other people,” said Mr. Trump. “We have to understand each other, especially in the military.”
