Caine warns “we will use force” if Iran does not comply with the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said in a press conference on Thursday that the US military is ready if there are ships that do not comply with the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz despite the two-week ceasefire. war with Iran.
If you do not comply with the blockade, we will use force,” said Caine.
Hegseth said the US would maintain an “effective blockade” of the Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth said the US military could “make a transition” from this blockade to “major combat operations.”
“We can make this change much faster and more powerful than before,” Hegseth said. “With President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon. We prefer to do it the right way through a deal led by our senior vice president and the negotiating team, or we can do it the hard way.”
Caine said the embargo applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, entering or leaving Iranian ports. Caine said that so far, 13 ships have made a “wise decision to turn around” during the blockade. He said that until now, the US Central Command, or CENTCOM, had not been required to board certain ships. About two hours after the briefing, CENTCOM said on social media that 14 ships had changed hands in the first 72 hours of the blockade.
The US began enforcing its military blockade on Iranian ports on Monday as Iran has sought to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz and limit the flow of the waterway, which normally carries a fifth of the world’s oil. Blockade i used in the Gulf of Omanimmediately outside the Strait of Hormuz, a US official told CBS News.
In response, Iranian officials have publicly threatened the sink American ships also blocked the second major waterway, the Red Sea. Meanwhile, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has remained below pre-war levels since the ceasefire began.
Thursday’s news conference comes just eight days after the ceasefire ended, prompting talks to end the war. Iran-US talks failed to reach an agreement after talks in Pakistan last weekend, with disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program still lingering, but Mr. there may be another round of lectures over the next few days.
Hegseth has been pushing Iran to “choose wisely” to strike a deal, saying “right now, the War Department is locked and loaded.”
Caine reiterated this point, saying US coalition forces “remain stable and ready to resume major combat operations at a moment’s notice.”
Mr. Trump posted on social media on Wednesday that Israel and Lebanon would talk as Israel continued to attack Hezbollah. Both the US and Israel have insisted that Lebanon is not part of the permanent ceasefire that began on April 8.
“Trying to find a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders spoke, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Good! President DJT, “Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Lebanese and Israeli officials met this week in Washington, DC, for their first direct talks in decades, although Hezbollah rejected the talks.
Mr. Trump told Fox News earlier this week that the conflict was “very close” as he and the Pakistani leader suggested a new round US-Iran peace talks may be drawing to a close.
A senior U.S. official told CBS News on Wednesday that the country “has not formally agreed to an extension of the ceasefire,” but talks are still ongoing. Iran has also agreed to indirect talks. Pakistan has done it pressed for discussion.
It is unclear what will happen if the ceasefire expires. Hours after the break began last week, Hegseth said the military was “ready to restart at a moment’s notice.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu too said Wednesday his country is willing to continue fighting if necessary.
Another complicating factor is Israel’s continued strikes against Hezbollah and the ongoing war across a wide swath of southern Lebanon to attack the Iran-backed militant group. More than 2,100 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Healthwhich does not distinguish between civilian and combatant victims. Iran has insisted that those strikes are prohibited under the ceasefire agreement, which the US and Israel deny.
The war is also testing US alliances. Mr. Trump has done it he cursed at NATO for not getting involved in the Iran conflict and considered leaving the organization, saying on Tuesday that NATO “wasn’t there for us, and it won’t be there for us in the future!”
