Home · World · Aug 13 archive
U.S. says Iran naval blockade can run indefinitely as economic pressure ramps up
Developing
By Phil Stewart PANAMA CITY, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has enough assets to maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday, adding ships could be rotated in and out of the region as needed. Earlier this week, a U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into a Panama-flagged ship's engine room after it ignored warnings from U.S. forces, the military said. "Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country," he said in an interview on Newsmax's Rob Schmitt Tonight program. The United States on Thursday said it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and would ratchet up economic pressure on Tehran as ceasefire talks have floundered, global oil supply is dropping and regional tensions are rising. Two vessels from the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked transiting the strait on Thursday evening, United Arab Emirates state news agency WAM reported.
The United States on Thursday said it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and would ratchet up economic pressure on Tehran as ceasefire talks have floundered, global oil supply is dropping and regional tensions are rising. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters that the U.S. military could keep a naval presence in the region to enforce its blockade of Iran, which has inflicted severe economic damage on the country. "Indefinitely, the United States Navy can maintain a blockade like that because we'll rotate ships in and out, as we have, and we'll continue to," Hegseth told reporters on a trip to Panama. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that the
By Phil Stewart PANAMA CITY, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has enough assets to maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday, adding ships could be rotated in and out of the region as needed. Hegseth's comments suggest he is advising U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. military can keep applying economic pressure on Iran for as long as needed to help so-far failed negotiations to end the conflict, begun in February. "Indefinitely the United States Navy can maintain a blockade like that because we'll rotate ships in and out, as we have, and we'll continue to," Hegseth told reporters. He spoke in Panama after addressing the crew a
What's confirmed
- By Phil Stewart PANAMA CITY, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The U.S.
What's still developing
- Further court action and how much of the order can take effect remain open.