Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday renewed his threat to attack Iran’s electrical infrastructure if the cease-fire between Washington and Tehran failed.
“Our forces are maximally postured to restart combat operations should this new Iranian regime choose poorly and not agree to a deal,” Mr. Hegseth said during a briefing to reporters at the Pentagon. “We are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry.”
“We’d rather not have to do it,” he added, “but we’re ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button.”
Under international law, intentionally targeting a country’s energy infrastructure could constitute a war crime.
Standing next to Mr. Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that U.S. forces were “postured and ready to resume major combat operations at literally a moment’s notice.”
The two officials then discussed the U.S. naval blockade of ships traveling to and from ports in Iran. President Trump announced the blockade on Sunday, after peace talks with Iranian leaders ended without a breakthrough.
Under international law, a naval blockade is an act of war.
Mr. Hegseth said that the blockade would last “for as long as it takes” and that “if Iran chooses poorly” by not agreeing to a deal with the United States, “then they will have a blockade — and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy.”
The defense secretary also called out journalists who are reporting on the war, comparing them to the Pharisees who criticized Jesus of Nazareth for performing miracles.
“The Pharisees scrutinized every good act in order to find a violation,” Mr. Hegseth said, “only looking for the negative.”
He then referred to the rescue of two downed F-15 aircrew members in Iran over Easter weekend as “miracles.”
In a description of the naval operation in the Gulf of Oman, General Caine said Navy warships would enforce the blockade “inside Iran’s territorial seas” as well as in international waters. Furthermore, he said, naval forces under U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would “actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran.”
“This includes dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil,” the general added.
Displaying a map of the Gulf of Oman, General Caine offered the first visual clues as to where the operation was taking place, showing about a dozen Navy destroyers on station more than 400 miles southeast of the Strait of Hormuz — outside a “blockade line” running from Oman to Iran’s border with Pakistan.
The general explained that multiple warplanes, helicopters and intelligence aircraft were operating in the skies above the destroyers to assist in the blockade.
He then recited the warning that destroyer crews give to any vessels trying to run through the U.S. blockade: “Do not attempt to breach the blockade. Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian ports. Turn around or prepare to be boarded. If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force.”
General Caine said that warning had been issued to more than a dozen vessels, all of which he said then turned around. U.S. destroyers could potentially fire warning shots at any ships that did not comply, he said.
Adm. Brad Cooper, the leader of Central Command, joined the briefing to discuss two trips he had made to the Middle East from his headquarters in Tampa, Fla. He said that U.S. forces in the Middle East, which Central Command controls, were “rearming” and “retooling” during the cease-fire.
John Ismay is a reporter covering the Pentagon for The Times. He served as an explosive ordnance disposal officer in the U.S. Navy.
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