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US defence secretary warns Iran kinetic strikes not ruled out
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Washington is 'by no means' ruling out kinetic strikes on Iran, including in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Trump administration ramps up both military…
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Washington is 'by no means' ruling out kinetic strikes on Iran, including in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Trump administration ramps up both military pressure and economic sanctions against Tehran. Speaking in Wisconsin on Monday, Hegseth said the US would use force if needed and that economic pressure 'hurts them the most right now.' He asserted that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and that its blockade is 'ironclad,' while Iranian naval and missile capabilities have been degraded.
Separately, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced 'Operation Economic Outcast,' a campaign to sever all Iranian financial connections worldwide. Bessent said Iran faces a choice between global isolation and a path to normalcy. Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani acknowledged economic hardships but said the government would guide the country through the phase with 'wisdom and resolve.' Hegseth suggested continued economic pressure could push Iran to negotiate over its nuclear programme, as demanded by President Trump.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The US-Iran confrontation is escalating on two tracks: an economic squeeze that has already slashed Iranian oil exports and a military posture that keeps the Strait of Hormuz in play. Washington’s declared aim is to force Tehran into nuclear negotiations, but Iran’s economy has proven resilient under sanctions for decades. The key number to watch is the daily oil throughput at Hormuz: if Hegseth’s claim of an 'ironclad blockade' actually stops Iranian crude shipments while allowing others to pass, Tehran will face a liquidity crisis within months. The Trump administration used a similar twin-track approach in 2019, but Iran responded by attacking Saudi Aramco facilities. The next material date is unclear, but Bessent’s sanctions expansion will be tested when the next round of tanker-tracking data is published by maritime analysts within weeks.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
