Pentagon Chief Hegseth: Iran Ceasefire Not Yet Over

• US Successfully Secures Passage Through Hormuz: Hegseth
• Defense Secretary States Iran Does Not Control Hormuz
• Iran Has Attacked US Forces Over 10 Times: General Caine

On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the ceasefire with Iran remains intact, despite ongoing exchanges of fire in the Gulf as both nations vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Hegseth, the U.S. has successfully secured a safe route through this vital waterway, with hundreds of commercial ships queued to pass. This move aims to dismantle Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which began on February 28.

“Iran is clearly embarrassed by this outcome. They claimed control over the Strait, but that’s not the case,” Hegseth stated during a Pentagon press briefing.

The U.S. military reports it sank six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones after President Donald Trump directed the navy to escort stranded tankers through the Strait in a mission dubbed “Project Freedom.”

On Monday, several ships in the Gulf experienced explosions or fires, and Iranian missiles set an oil port in the United Arab Emirates, home to a significant U.S. military base, ablaze.

General Dan Caine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed that since the ceasefire’s announcement on April 7, Iran has fired upon commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships.

He also noted that Iran has attacked U.S. forces more than ten times, though these assaults have so far fallen “below the threshold to restart major combat operations,” Caine explained.

When asked if the ceasefire is still in effect, Hegseth reaffirmed, “The ceasefire is not over.”

“We committed to defending ourselves aggressively, and we have. Iran knows this. Ultimately, the president will decide if any escalation breaches the ceasefire,” he added.

This operation continues Trump’s efforts to halt the disruption of global energy supplies caused by Iran’s blockage of the Strait — which previously carried 20% of the world’s oil and LNG. The U.S. Navy is also enforcing a maritime blockade preventing ships from traveling to or from Iranian territories.