Iran Is Aggressor, US Not Seeking War Despite Ceasefire Strain: Pentagon Chief

Last Updated:May 05, 2026, 20:39 IST

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said American actions in the region are aimed solely at protecting commercial shipping and do not signal a return to open hostilities

Amid a fragile ceasefire with Iran, the United States has accused Tehran of continued aggression while stressing that Washington is not seeking a wider conflict.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said American actions in the region are aimed solely at protecting commercial shipping and do not signal a return to open hostilities.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing alongside Dan Caine, Hegseth said the ceasefire remains intact despite recent incidents in the Gulf, where US naval forces and Iran exchanged fire amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’re not looking for a fight," Hegseth said, rejecting Iranian claims of control over the vital waterway. “They say they control the strait. They do not," he added, describing Iran as the “clear aggressor".

The Defence Secretary outlined Project Freedom, a US-led naval mission launched under former president Donald Trump to escort commercial vessels through one of the world’s busiest oil transit routes.

He said the operation is limited, defensive in nature, and does not involve US forces entering Iranian airspace or territorial waters.

“This is focused, temporary and defensive," Hegseth said, emphasising that the mission is designed only to protect civilian shipping from Iranian interference.

He added that at least two American commercial vessels have already transited the strait safely under the current framework, while several others were turned back after attempting to violate Iranian port restrictions.

‘Ceasefire Is Not Over’

Hegseth dismissed suggestions that the naval operation marks the breakdown of the ceasefire. “No, the ceasefire is not over. This is a separate and distinct project," he said, while warning Tehran to act with restraint to avoid further escalation.

Offering a more pointed assessment, Caine said Iran has targeted commercial vessels nine times since the ceasefire announcement and seized two container ships, in addition to carrying out more than 10 attacks on US forces. However, he described the activity as “low-level harassing fire" that remains below the threshold for renewed full-scale combat.

Caine accused Iran of “weaponising the global supply chain" and attempting to hold the world economy hostage by threatening maritime traffic through the strait.

The Pentagon has reinforced its presence in the region, deploying additional naval destroyers to counter Iranian fast boats and drone activity. According to Caine, commercial ships transiting the strait can “see, hear and feel" the US military presence around them.

Hegseth reiterated that any attempt by Iran to disrupt shipping would be met with a firm response, while underscoring that Washington remains focused on deterrence rather than a prolonged conflict or nation-building effort linked to Iran.

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