War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the United States has imposed an "ironclad blockade" on Iran that is tightening "by the hour," with U.S. naval forces turning back vessels and expanding enforcement worldwide as part of a broader military and economic campaign.
Speaking at a morning press briefing, Hegseth said the blockade, a central component of "Operation Epic Fury," is designed to cut off Iranian shipping and force Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"As part of that effort, the United States has imposed an ironclad blockade that grows more powerful by the day," Hegseth said. "From the Gulf of Oman to the open oceans, our Navy is enforcing this blockade without hesitation or apology."
He said every ship meeting U.S. criteria, including Iranian vessels or ships traveling to and from Iranian ports, has been turned around, while 34 non-Iranian vessels have been allowed to transit as of Friday morning.
"Our blockade is growing and going global," Hegseth said, pointing to the seizure this week of two Iranian "dark fleet" ships in the Indo-Pacific that had departed before the blockade took effect.
Hegseth added that a second U.S. aircraft carrier will join the effort in the coming days, further strengthening enforcement.
"No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy," he said. "The blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in, nothing out."
Hegseth said the operation reflects a more focused and accelerated approach compared with past U.S. conflicts.
"Operation Epic Fury has delivered decisive military results in just weeks," he said, contrasting it with wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. "Clear mission objectives, and ultimately, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon."
He described the campaign as entering a "new phase," combining sustained military pressure with a diplomatic opening for Tehran.
Source:
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/iran-blockade-pete-hegseth/2026/04/24/id/1254080/
Diem ‘Richard’ Nguyen
Liên Minh Bảo Hiến Mỹ Gốc Việt
Vietnamese American Conservative Alliance (VACA)
https://freedom-vaca.org/vaca-blog-tieng-viet-nam/