Hegseth Says US Can Maintain Iran Blockade Indefinitely

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Thursday that the American military has sufficient assets to maintain its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely, signaling a commitment to sustained economic pressure as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain stalled. Speaking to reporters in Panama after addressing the crew of the USS Gridley, a guided-missile destroyer, Hegseth emphasized the Navy's ability to rotate ships in and out of the region to sustain the operation.

"Indefinitely, the United States Navy can maintain a blockade like that because we'll rotate ships in and out, as we have, and we'll continue to," Hegseth said. His comments came a day after President Donald Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that the United States has "total control over the Strait of Hormuz," describing the naval blockade as a "WALL OF STEEL."

The blockade was imposed following the outbreak of war, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. In response, Tehran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas previously transited. The U.S. has since deployed tens of...