US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that Washington was “not looking for a fight” in the Gulf but warned Iran against attacking commercial shipping or American forces involved in a new escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth said the US mission, dubbed “Project Freedom,” was defensive and aimed solely at protecting commercial vessels stranded by rising tensions in the Gulf.
“Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused on scope and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression,” Hegseth said.
He added that US forces would not enter Iranian waters or airspace under the operation.
“It’s not necessary. We’re not looking for a fight,” he said.
“But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway.”
Hegseth warned that any Iranian strike on U.S. troops or escorted vessels would trigger a forceful military response.
“If you attack American troops or innocent commercial shipping, you will face overwhelming and devastating American firepower,” he said.
He added that Project Freedom was “100% separate and distinct” from Operation Epic Fury, another U.S. military operation in the region.
The comments came as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated following US President Donald Trump’s warning that Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacked US vessels escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said US military installations worldwide were fully prepared to respond to any Iranian threat. “We have the best equipment … and we will use it if we need it,” he said.
