US Seizes Control of Strait of Hormuz, Expands Sanctions on Iran
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is 'ironclad' and claimed that Washington controls the strategically important waterway. The statement comes as tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran continue to escalate.
Hegseth said that while traffic through the strait has returned to pre-war levels, Tehran has not been able to move anything through it. He warned that if Iran continues to challenge Washington's control of the waterway, President Donald Trump will have 'all the options he needs on the table.'
Trump has also stated that Iran faces an 'easy way or a hard way' in dealing with the US. The president claimed that oil prices are coming down and that Tehran is 'virtually giving up any plans of a nuclear weapon'. However, Hegseth emphasized that Washington remains committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The latest developments come as the US has expanded its sanctions campaign against Iran, targeting sectors including energy, shipping, technology, gold, and digital assets. Foreign companies supporting Iranian airlines targeted by US restrictions could also face secondary sanctions, while the US Treasury is targeting networks involved in Iranian oil smuggling and sanctions evasion.