Washington: The United States on Thursday warned Iran to “choose wisely” as it enforced a sweeping naval blockade, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying American forces remain “locked and loaded” to escalate military action if needed.
Addressing a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth was joined by Air Force General Dan Caine, the US military’s top uniformed officer as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Admiral Bradley Cooper, who oversees American military operations across the Middle East as Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM).
The developments are being closely watched in India, given its dependence on Gulf energy supplies and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime corridor for global oil shipments.
Hegseth said the blockade of Iranian ports and coastline was already in effect and could be sustained indefinitely. “Your energy is not moving and will not move and we can do this all day,” he said, describing it as “the polite way that this can go.”
He issued a direct warning to Iran’s military leadership, saying US forces were tracking movements on the ground and retained the ability to strike key infrastructure. “We are locked and loaded on your critical dual use infrastructure… we’d rather not have to do it, but we’re ready to go,” he said.
The warning comes amid a fragile ceasefire that has temporarily paused major combat operations following what US officials described as Operation Epic Fury. Caine said American forces remain ready “to resume major combat operations at literally a moment’s notice.”
He outlined details of the blockade, saying it applies to all vessels moving to or from Iranian ports, regardless of nationality. Enforcement extends into Iran’s territorial seas as well as international waters, supported by naval, air and intelligence assets.
US officials said ships attempting to breach the blockade had been warned and turned back. “Do not attempt to breach the blockade… vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure,” a standard transmission to vessels said.
According to the military, 13 ships have already reversed course. Officials said no vessel had yet forced a confrontation requiring boarding or seizure.
Despite the pause in fighting, Hegseth said Iran’s command and control systems had been severely degraded. “Their ability to talk, see, sense… is at the worst it’s ever been,” he said, while noting Tehran still had strong incentives to maintain the ceasefire.
Cooper said US forces across the Middle East remained highly motivated and were using the ceasefire period to strengthen readiness. “We’re rearming, we’re retooling, and we’re adjusting our tactics,” he said.
He described a broad network of regional partners, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, as “exceptional teammates” supporting joint operations and regional defence.
Cooper also pointed to the use of advanced capabilities during recent operations, including artificial intelligence to process large volumes of battlefield data. “Humans are always in the loop,” he said, underscoring decision-making control.
Officials highlighted the complexity of enforcing the blockade in congested waters, with Caine comparing operations to navigating “a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a pay day weekend.”
Hegseth stressed that Washington preferred a diplomatic resolution but warned of consequences if talks failed. “We’d prefer to do it the nice way… or we can do it the hard way,” he said.
(IANS)
