U.S. Defense Secretary Vows to Maintain Iran Blockade; U.S. Military Fires Missile at Iran-Bound Vessel

▲ U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated on June 30 (local time) that the U.S. military's maritime blockade against Iran remains firmly in place and that the U.S. is prepared to resume military intervention should peace negotiations collapse.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Secretary Hegseth made these remarks during a press conference following the conclusion of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an Asian security summit held in Singapore.

"The blockade operation is being maintained with ironclad resolve," Hegseth said, adding that the issue of the Strait of Hormuz was discussed frequently during bilateral meetings throughout the summit.

"The Strait of Hormuz will be an open strait," he emphasized. "It will be a toll-free strait that the entire world can use freely, which is how it should be."

In a related development, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the U.S. military fired a missile at a Gambian-flagged merchant vessel that was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on the same day.

In a statement, CENTCOM reported that the vessel was "observed transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward an Iranian port." The command added that they had "notified the vessel of the violation of the U.S. maritime blockade and issued more than 20 warnings."

Military authorities stated that the vessel was disabled by the missile strike and is no longer moving toward Iran.

When asked whether the U.S. is considering a permanent withdrawal of troops from Middle Eastern bases that have come under Iranian attack, Hegseth replied, "That is all for President Trump to decide," adding that "such decisions will be based on the final outcome (of peace negotiations with Iran)."

"Currently, we are focused on maintaining our posture and remaining prepared to intervene (militarily) again if necessary," he said.

Regarding potential arms sales to Taiwan, Hegseth noted, "We respect China's ambitions. We are aware that they have been conducting a significant military buildup." However, he added, "Our position on Taiwan has not changed."

"It remains the same as what the President stated following his historic summit with China," he said. "We are in a stronger position than ever before in the Pacific and across the globe."

※