Hegseth: "While you are digging out bombed out facilities, we are only getting stronger. You have no defense industry, no ability to replenish your offensive or defensive capablities."
U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper delivered a firm joint update Thursday on the ongoing naval blockade of Iran and the fragile ceasefire.
Hegseth delivered a direct message to Iran’s leadership: “We are reloading with more power than ever before. We are locked and loaded.”
He added that the U.S. military moved seamlessly from major combat operations to a world-class blockade and “can make that transition again very quickly and even more powerfully than ever.”
At the direction of President Trump, Hegseth stressed that the War Department will ensure “Iran never has a nuclear weapon, never.” He said the U.S. prefers a diplomatic deal led by Vice President and the negotiating team, “or we can do it the hard way.”
Hegseth urged the new regime in Tehran to “choose wisely,” warning that if Iran chooses poorly, “they will face a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy.”
He also noted that Iran is currently trying to dig out missiles from sites hit in recent U.S. strikes, but American forces remain ready to resume combat if Tehran refuses a deal.
Sharp Criticism of Allies
Hegseth issued a scathing critique of international partners, saying they have left the United States to do the heavy lifting in securing global waterways and countering the Iranian nuclear threat. While other nations talk frequently, he said, they have failed to invest in the military capabilities, such as clearing straits, needed to defend international waters.
“It would be wonderful to see allies project power,” Hegseth said, “but the U.S. is not counting on it and will continue to act alone if necessary.” He made clear that allies cannot rely on America to do all the work in perpetuity and must step up.
Blockade Update from Gen. Dan Caine
Gen. Dan Caine detailed the effectiveness of the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline. He reported that U.S. naval forces quickly identified and moved to interdict vessels violating or suspected of violating the Hormuz blockade in its opening hours.
“You can see that the captain of all captains of all these ships have made the wise decision not to move transit or run this blockade,” Caine said. “As I mentioned so far, 13 ships have made the wise choice of turning around.”
He added that CENTCOM has not been required to board any ships so far and noted that similar maritime interdiction actions are underway in the Pacific against vessels that left the area before the blockade began.
Praise for Israel from Adm. Brad Cooper
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who recently visited U.S. troops deployed across more than 70 locations in the region, stated:“There’s been no better teammate than Israel.”
Overall Tone
The briefing reinforced that the U.S. maintains a strong naval blockade and full readiness to escalate if Iran does not comply with ceasefire terms or move toward a permanent deal that eliminates its nuclear ambitions. Officials emphasized that while diplomacy remains the preferred path, military options are fully prepared and can be restarted rapidly.
The statements come amid efforts for U.S.-mediated talks and as the two-week ceasefire period continues.
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