The Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, says the United States can maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports “indefinitely.” He tells reporters that the Navy can do so by rotating ships in and out of the region as needed.
Sources place the comments in the context of heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing efforts to apply economic pressure on Iran. Reuters notes that Hegseth’s remarks indicate advice to the U.S. president amid failed negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that began in February. The Korea Times adds that Hegseth speaks in Panama after visiting the USS Gridley, a guided-missile destroyer.
Al-Monitor and other outlets summarize the same core message: the U.S. claims sufficient assets to sustain the blockade without a set end date. While some coverage also links the statement to President Donald Trump’s claims about control of the Strait of Hormuz, the factual emphasis across outlets remains the claimed ability to keep the blockade going for as long as needed.
