"We do not seek conflict. The ceasefire is currently being maintained, but we will monitor it closely", US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon press briefing on 5/5. He emphasized that the operation to escort commercial vessels through the Hormuz Strait is temporary and defensive. Hegseth further warned, "We cannot allow Iran to block innocent nations and their goods from international shipping lanes. If it attacks US military forces or innocent commercial vessels, Iran will face overwhelming and devastating US firepower".
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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at a Pentagon press briefing on 5/5. Photo: AFP |
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, elaborated on Iran's actions since the ceasefire was announced on 8/4. He reported that Iran has targeted commercial vessels 9 times and seized two container ships, in addition to attacking US forces more than 10 times. Despite these incidents, Caine stated, "These actions have not yet crossed the threshold to restart large-scale military operations". Both General Caine and Secretary Hegseth characterized these latest Iranian military actions as "low-level harassment fire".
Nevertheless, General Caine underscored the readiness of US forces to resume large-scale combat operations against Iran if ordered. He asserted, "No adversary should mistake our current restraint for a lack of resolve".
The recent escalation began on 4/5 when the US dispatched guided-missile destroyers through the Hormuz Strait, assisting two US-flagged ships to depart the area to challenge Iran's control. In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the US operation violated the ceasefire. The IRGC retaliated by launching cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and employing speedboats to attack vessels in Hormuz. The IRGC also targeted Fujairah, a vital oil hub in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) located outside Hormuz, which Abu Dhabi uses as an alternative oil export route. The US reported sinking 6 Iranian speedboats in retaliation, a claim Tehran denied.
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Area claimed by Iran in the Hormuz Strait. Graphic: IRGC |
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that "ceasefire violations" by the US and its allies threatened maritime activity in the strait. He posted on social media, "We understand that prolonging the current situation is unbearable for the US, even though Iran has not yet truly acted". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the US and the UAE not to "be dragged back into the quagmire", noting that the 4/5 developments showed no military solution to the crisis.
Over the past month, despite a quieter situation, Iran's tightening grip on the strait and US blockades of its ports have led to a global shortage of millions of barrels of oil, driving up fuel prices.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, Reuters)
