WASHINGTON — The US military will “actively pursue” any Iranian-flagged vessels or any ships attempting to support the regime elsewhere in the world, Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced Thursday — in an expansion of the blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.
Caine explained that in addition to cutting off the regime’s ports in the critical oil chokepoint, other US military assets will also look out for and stop vessels elsewhere, including in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The joint force, through operations and activities in other areas of responsibility, like the Pacific Area of Responsibility under the command of Admiral [Samuel] Paparo, will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Caine said at a press conference on Thursday.
“This includes Dark Fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil. As most of you know, Dark Fleet vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also warned Iranian leaders to “choose wisely” on whether to accept a deal with the US.
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“To Iran: Choose wisely. I pray you choose a deal which is in your grasp for the betterment of your people and for the betterment of the world,” Hegseth said at the press conference. “In the meantime, the War Department is locked and loaded.”
President Trump first announced the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday — and by Tuesday, US Central Command, which coordinates the joint forces in the Middle East, announced the cutting off of Iranian ports was fully implemented.
Caine also stressed, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did on Wednesday, that non-Iranian-linked traffic is still allowed to trek through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Let me be clear, this blockade applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports,” Caine said.
“The US action is a blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline, not a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Enforcement will occur inside Iran’s territorial seas.”
Trump ordered the blockade in response to Iran taking the Strait of Hormuz hostage, where over a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil flows through annually.
Iran had spooked maritime traffic by allegedly laying down mines, claiming to have forgotten the location of those bombs, and firing off drone and missile strikes on ships. The chaos sent oil prices surging.
Both sides agreed to a two-week cease-fire on April 8. Trump suggested that a cease-fire would reopen the Strait of Hormuz; however, Iran began charging tolls on ships transiting the waterway, violating US demands for freedom of navigation.
Caine showcased graphics to reporters during the Thursday press conference to illustrate how Iranian ships have “made the wise decision not to move transit or run this blockade,” adding that “so far, 13 ships have made the wise choice of turning around.”
As of Thursday morning, US Central Command, which a top official said is rearming during the cease-fire, “has not been required to board any particular ships” so far.
“You like to say publicly, Iran, that you control the Strait of Hormuz, but you don’t have a navy or real domain awareness. You can’t control anything, to be clear,” Hegseth chided during the press conference.
“To be clear, threatening to shoot missiles and drones at ships, commercial ships that are lawfully transiting international waters. That is not control. That’s piracy. That’s terrorism,” the secretary of war went on. “The United States Navy controls the traffic going in and out of the Strait, because we have real assets and real capabilities.
“We’re doing this blockade, performing it with less than 10% of America’s naval power.”
Hegseth branded the blockade as the “polite way that this can go,” warning that while Iran’s energy is being blocked from moving, “it’s not destroyed yet.”
“If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure,” he warned.
