The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth declared this Tuesday that the true truce with Iran remains in the midst of its “defensive” operation to assist in the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.because the Iranian attacks do not exceed the “threshold” that would justify a restart of fighting.
In the first press conference since the beginning on the eve of Project Freedom launched by President Donald Trump, Hegseth insisted that this is an “independent” and “different” initiative from his previous attacks on the Islamic republic.and has a “defensive nature, focused scope and temporary duration.”
“The ceasefire has not ended,” the Pentagon chief warned, adding that he expected “some activity” at the beginning of these operations, which have “a single mission: to protect innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression,” he added.
These statements take place after Tehran will accuse Washington of endangering security in the strait by “violating the ceasefire” with the operation in which the US has mobilized hundreds of aircraft, destroyers and drones to facilitate the passage of trapped ships. following the Iranian blockade of the road.
According to Hegseth, “US forces will not need to enter Iranian waters or airspace” because “it is not necessary.”
“We are not looking for a confrontation. However, Iran cannot be allowed to prevent the access of innocent countries and their goods to an international navigable waterway,” he clarified, while indicating that the interruption of the passage of crude oil and goods through the maritime route by Iran is “an unacceptable form of international extortion.”
For his part, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, Dan Caine specified that “since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and has seized two container ships.”
“They have attacked US forces more than 10 times, although all of these incidents have remained, up to this point, below the threshold that would justify the resumption of large-scale combat operations,” he added.
Caine insisted, however, that US joint forces continue to “identify threats.” and “remain ready to resume large-scale combat operations against Iran, should the order be received.”
“No adversary should confuse our true restraint with a lack of determination,” he said.
Hegseth also warned the international community that this is only a temporary solution and that it will soon be their turn to secure passage through the strait.through which 20% of the world’s oil circulated and whose traffic was interrupted by Iran in retaliation for the war launched by the US and Iran on February 28.
“The world needs this waterway much more than we need it. We are stabilizing the situation so that trade can flow again. However, we hope that the international community will assume its responsibility at the right time. We will soon give them back control of the situation,” he said.
With information from EFE
Keep reading:
• Iran accuses the US of putting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz at risk
• Trump threatens to “wipe Iran off the face of the Earth” if it attacks ships in Hormuz
• The US facilitates the transit of two ships in Hormuz as part of “Project Freedom”