Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that the United States military possesses enough resources to uphold a naval blockade on Iranian ports indefinitely. He explained that naval vessels could be rotated in and out of the region as necessary to maintain continuous pressure.
Hegseth’s statement suggests he is advising President Donald Trump that the US can extend economic and military pressure on Iran for as long as required while supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the conflict that began in February.
In a significant development, his remarks underscore the US commitment to sustaining the blockade despite ongoing attempts to negotiate a settlement. “The US Navy can maintain a blockade like this indefinitely because we will rotate ships in and out, as we have done and will continue to do,” Hegseth told reporters.
He made these comments in Panama after addressing the crew of the USS Gridley, a guided-missile destroyer that had previously been deployed to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, President Trump declared on Wednesday that the United States exercises full control over the Strait of Hormuz. “The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it,” he posted on his Truth Social platform.
The conflict escalated following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to effectively close the strait, a critical passage through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments previously passed.
Following these events, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian shipping and ports, pledging to protect freedom of navigation for vessels traveling to and from non-Iranian ports.
Since the onset of the conflict, Washington has deployed tens of thousands of troops to the Middle East, including more than 20 warships. The blockade has resulted in the US military redirecting over 55 commercial vessels attempting to breach it, disabling three ships, and boarding two.
In a recent incident earlier this week, a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged ship after it ignored warnings from US forces, further demonstrating the US resolve to enforce the blockade.
