U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the naval blockade against Iran is "expanding worldwide."
"The United States is maintaining an ironclad blockade that grows stronger by the day, stretching from the Gulf of Oman to the high seas," Hegseth said at a war briefing held at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.
He said 34 vessels either belonging to Iran or traveling to and from Iranian ports have turned back since the naval blockade targeting Iran was imposed. Hegseth also disclosed that U.S. forces seized two ships from Iran's "dark fleet" — a group of vessels, including oil tankers, involved in the illegal transport of crude oil while evading international sanctions — in the Indo-Pacific region after they had departed Iranian ports before the blockade began.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine identified the seized vessels as the crude oil tankers Tiffany and Majestic X. "U.S. forces seized these vessels on the 20th and 22nd respectively in the Indo-Pacific area, and both the ships and their crews are currently under U.S. control," Caine said. He added that U.S. forces opened fire on and seized the large container ship Tusca after it failed to comply with orders to turn back.
Regarding Iran's attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Caine said, "Iran has so far attacked five merchant ships attempting to transit the strait, seizing two of them." Hegseth criticized Iran, saying, "They are acting like pirates, like terrorists. They are the kind of people who lay mines indiscriminately and fire randomly at vessels."
U.S. news outlet Axios reported recently that Iran had laid additional mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Asked about the report, Hegseth said, "If such attempts are made, we will respond," calling it a "violation of the ceasefire." Reaffirming President Donald Trump's order to sink any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said, "We will act without hesitation, just like with drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean."
On the Iran conflict, Hegseth also made remarks urging allies to deploy forces, including warships, to support tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and to maintain the naval blockade on Iran. "This fight is not one that the United States should have to shoulder alone," he said. "The era of free riding by Europe and Asia, which have enjoyed U.S. protection for decades, is now over."
"The United States and the free world deserve allies that are capable, loyal, and understand that alliances are a two-way street, not one-way," he added. "Europe, which needs the Strait of Hormuz far more than we do, should hold fewer meetings and get on the ships."
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