Pentagon chief says U.S. can sustain Iran port blockade indefinitely

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the United States possesses sufficient naval resources to maintain a blockade of Iranian ports without a set end date, relying on a rotation of ships in the region. Speaking in Panama after speaking to the crew of the guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley, Hegseth indicated the strategy is intended to sustain economic pressure on Tehran amid stalled negotiations that started in February.

President Donald Trump has claimed the U.S. holds complete control of the Strait of Hormuz and labeled the operation a “wall of steel.” The blockade was imposed after Iran closed the strait, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and LNG shipments. U.S. forces have redirected more than 55 commercial vessels attempting to breach the blockade, disabled three ships, boarded two, and this week a Navy MH-60 helicopter launched two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged ship that failed to heed warnings. The effort underscores the ongoing military presence, with more than 20 warships and tens of thousands of troops deployed in the Middle East since the conflict began.