Hegseth says that the US is reloading âwith more power than beforeâ and says it is giving Iran the choice of doing things âthe easy way or the hard wayâ.
He says Iranâs energy industry is not destroyed âyetâ and that threatening to shoot at commercial ships âis not control, itâs piracyâ.
The Pentagon chief adds:
double quotation mark For as long as it takes, we will maintain the blockade.
He is now attacking the âlegacy, Trump-hating pressâ for not being patriotic enough for his likingâŚ
Key events
Caine tells reporters that the United States would pursue any vessel attempting to provide support to Iran, adding that enforcement would occur in Iranian territorial seas as well as and international waters.
He says that 13 ships have âmade the wise choice to turn aroundâ and that, as of this morning, the US has not boarded any ships.
He adds:
double quotation mark If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force.
Joint chiefs of staff chairman Dan Caine says the US military remains ready to re-engage in combat âat literally a momentâs noticeâ.
He says the blockade covers Iranâs ports and coastlines and applies to all ships, regardless of which flag they are sailing under.
âThis includes dark fleet vessels, carrying Iranian oil,â he says.
Hegseth says that the US is reloading âwith more power than beforeâ and says it is giving Iran the choice of doing things âthe easy way or the hard wayâ.
He says Iranâs energy industry is not destroyed âyetâ and that threatening to shoot at commercial ships âis not control, itâs piracyâ.
The Pentagon chief adds:
double quotation mark For as long as it takes, we will maintain the blockade.
He is now attacking the âlegacy, Trump-hating pressâ for not being patriotic enough for his likingâŚ
Hegseth warns Iranian regime that the US is ‘watching you’
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is speaking in DC this morning, warning Iranâs leadership that the US is âwatching youâ.
âWhile you are digging out of bomb-hit facilities, we are only getting stronger,â he says. âYou only have what you have â you know that and we know that.â
Addressing the Iranian regime directly, he says they can âmove things aroundâ but that is exposing theirselves to the Americanâs âwatchful eyeâ.
âYou like to say publicly, Iran, that you control the strait of Hormuz but you donât have a navy,â Hegseth adds.
Lebanese president holds call with Rubio
The Lebanese presidency said Jospeh Aoun held a call with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
In a statement posted on social media, it said the Lebanese president thanked Rubio âfor the efforts Washington is undertaking to reach a ceasefire and its support at all levelsâ.
In turn, Rubio âaffirmed his continuation of the ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire as a prelude to establishing peace, security, and stability in Lebanonâ.
The statement made no mention of any possible talks between Aoun and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, despite comments by Donald Trump that the leaders of Lebanon and Israel would speak today.
Pope decries leaders who use religion to justify war amid feud with Trump
Amid a feud with Donald Trump over the USâs war on Iran, Pope Leo has used a speech in Cameroon to decry leaders who use religion to justify wars.
âWoe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,â said the pope, who is on a four-country tour of Africa.
He made similar remarks last month when he said God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have âhands full of bloodâ, which was widely interpreted as a veiled swipe at US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, who has used religious language and urged prayer in Jesusâs name for violence against enemies.
On Sunday, Donald Trump took aim at the pope and called him âweak on crime, and terrible for foreign policyâ in a post on Truth Social. The US presidentâs comments have been widely condemned by Catholics and the international community, including Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
In Cameroon, Pope Leo also criticised leaders who spend billions on wars. âThey turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found.â
A spokesperson for the Lebanese presidency said it was ânot aware of any callâ taking place between Joseph Aoun and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to CNN.
The spokesperson added that if such a call were to happen then there would be an announcement.
The confusion over whether Israel and Lebanon are expected to speak stems from a social media post this morning by Donald Trump, in which he claimed the leaders of the two countries would talk today, without providing any details on where or how they would communicate.
Lebanese president calls for ceasefire before talks with Israel
The president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, has stressed the importance of a ceasefire before any direct negotiations with Israel but did not confirm reports of a possible talks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
âThe ceasefire that Lebanon is calling for with Israel will be the natural starting point for direct negotiations between the two countries,â he said in a statement posted on social media.
âLebanon is keen to de-escalate the situation in the south and across all Lebanese regions, so that the targeting of innocent and defenceless peopleâwomen, men and childrenâcomes to an end, and the destruction of homes in Lebanese villages and towns ceases.â
He added that negotiations would be conducted âsolely by the Lebanese authoritiesâ, the implication being that the Iran-backed Hezbollah group would not be involved.
Aoun said the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory âis an essential step towards consolidating the ceasefireâ and that it would enable the Lebanese army to redeploy to the two countriesâ shared border.
Israel destroys last bridge connecting southern Lebanon to rest of country – report
An Israeli airstrike has destroyed the last bridge connecting southern Lebanon to the rest of the country, according to Lebanonâs official National News Agency.
The Israeli military struck the Qasmiyeh Bridge over the Litani river, destroying it completely, the news agency reported.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not immediately commented on the report, but it targeted the bridge on 23 March after accusing Hezbollah of using it to move fighters and weapons into the countryâs south.
The IDF has issued repeated warnings in recent weeks to people in southern Lebanon to flee their homes and head north of the Zahrani river, which is located about 10 miles north of the Litani.
Iran wants to hold the US and Israel accountable for the assassination of its leaders, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Ismail Baghaei, told Russiaâs Ria Novosti news agency.
âWe must do this. And I believe that it is not only Iran, but the entire international community that is calling for those responsible to be held to account,â he said.
Israel has killed a number of Iranâs most powerful figures since the start of the war, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader, and Ali Larijani, a top national security official.
Marco Rubio to join call between Israel and Lebanon leaders – report
The Lebanese TV channel Al Jadeed has reported that efforts are under way to arrange a call between Israel, Lebanon and the US.
Citing diplomatic sources, Al Jadeed reported that mediators are attempting contact between Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, with US secretary of state Marco Rubio to also join the discussion. Rubio hosted the first talks in decades between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on Tuesday.
There has been no official confirmation of talks, although an Israeli minister told local media this morning that Netanyahu will speak to Aoun today. Lebanese officials however, have said privately that they were unaware of any such call.
In a statement shared on social media, Aoun said the ceasefire that Lebanon is âdemanding with Israelâ will serve as a ânatural entry point for direct negotiations between the two countriesâ. He did not address reports about a call with the Israeli prime minister.
About the Author
