Photo: Alamy
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Thursday announced a maximum pressure campaign against the Iranians, calling it “Operation Economic Fury,” as the U.S. Navy continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
“If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy,” Hegseth said. “And at the same time, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and our friends over at Treasury are launching Operation Economic Fury as well – maximizing economic pressure across the entirety of the government. To Iran: choose wisely.”
During a briefing, Hegseth touted United States military strength, speaking directly to the Iranians in a monologue that warned them, “This is not a fair fight – we know what military assets you are moving and where you are moving them to.”
Hegseth said the U.S. is “reloading with more power than ever before and better intelligence,” and that during this blockade and ceasefire, “we are locked and loaded.”
He also slammed Iran for utilizing the Strait of Hormuz as a leverage point in this war. “That is not control,” he said. “That’s piracy, that’s terrorism.”
Hegseth promised that the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz would be maintained for “as long as it takes,” but Iran would face a continuation of wartime violence if it ultimately declined peace negotiations.
Over 10,000 U.S. servicemembers are currently executing on President Donald Trump’s order to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. The operation aims to stop vessels from entering or exiting Iranian ports.
“At the direction of President Trump, the War Department will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon, never,” Secretary Hegseth said. “We’d prefer to do it through a deal…or we can do it the hard way. We urge this new regime to choose wisely.”
Additionally, Hegseth slammed the mainstream media for its negative coverage of the war, describing press members as having “hardened hearts.”
“I would ask you to open your eyes to the goodness—the historic success of our troops, the courage of this president, and this historic moment for a deal that could end the Iranian nuclear threat,” he argued.
