Watch Live: Hegseth and Caine give update on Iran war as ceasefire grinds on

The defense secretary said the mission is continuing into a new phase, with Iran now having the opportunity to make a peace deal.

“Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal. A good deal. A wise deal,” he said.

The defense secretary clarified the scope of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said is “ironclad,” and said a second aircraft carrier will be joining the blockade in the coming days.

“Our blockade is growing and going global,” he said, adding that as of Friday morning, 34 non-Iranian vessels are allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The defense secretary said many of those vessels are being allowed to move through the Strait, including overnight.

“We are seeing vessels transit, there are paths that are open,” he said, adding that while vessels are moving through the Strait, it’s “much more limited.” 

Hegseth also addressed the ships seized by Iran in recent days, saying they were “random ships” that had been targeted by speedboats and shot at.

Following President Trump’s directive Thursday for the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill” any boat placing mines in the Strait, Hegseth said U.S. commanders have clear rules of engagement.

“If Iran is putting mines in the water, or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy. No hesitation,” he said.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine provided details to reporters about the U.S. military blockade, which is being enforced against any ship that is moving to or from an Iranian port or territory. Caine said 34 ships have met the U.S. blockade and turned around, but one, the M/V Touska, was seized.

Two other “stateless” vessels linked to Iran, the M/T Tifani and M/T Majestic X, were interdicted. Their crew remain in U.S. custody, Caine said. Both of the vessels were interdicted in the Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility, which includes the Indian Ocean, according to the Pentagon.

“We will continue to conduct similar maritime interdiction actions and activities in the Pacific and Indian Oceans against Iranian ships and vessels of the dark fleet,” Caine said.

Hegseth was asked about Pope Leo’s recent comments criticizing the war in Iran, which led to insults from Mr. Trump, and the Defense secretary defended the U.S. actions.

“We know what our mission is. We know what authority we have,” he said. “We’re very clear about that.”

Hegseth and Caine are giving an update on the Iran war Friday morning, as a weeks-long U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains in place but both sides ratchet up their competition for control over shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth and Caine have jointly addressed reporters several times since Operation Epic Fury began in late February.

While fighting between the U.S. and Iran is paused, American forces have imposed a blockade on Iranian ports at President Trump’s direction, turning around over 30 ships so far, according to U.S. Central Command. Meanwhile, Iran has sought to control shipping traffic through the strait, claiming Thursday it had collected its first toll revenue at the waterway, a strategically important chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of the world’s oil. 

Tensions have grown in recent days, as the two countries carry out tit-for-tat interdictions of vessels. The U.S. intercepted and boarded a pair of Iran-linked oil tankers, and Iran has attacked and allegedly boarded at least two cargo ships in the strait. 

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released an edited video Thursday that the corps claimed shows masked commandos zipping toward two cargo ships and climbing aboard. The Philippine government said 15 Filipino seafarers aboard vessels that were seized by Iran were “safe and unharmed.”

Mr. Trump said Thursday the U.S. has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz. He also directed the military to “shoot and kill” any Iranian vessels that try to place mines in the waterway.

Shipping traffic in the strait remains well below pre-war levels.

Earlier this week, the president extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, offering more time for what he described as a severely fractured Iranian leadership to make a deal with his administration. Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday that he will resume bombing Iran if it doesn’t come to the negotiating table, but he’s not in a hurry.

“I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now,” he said during an Oval Office event, later adding: “I don’t want to rush myself.”

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was extended by three weeks on Thursday following White House talks between envoys for the two countries. Lebanon could play a key role in any resolution of the Iran conflict due to Israel’s campaign against Iranian proxy group Hezbollah. Iran had pushed for Israel to pause fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of a ceasefire.

This week has also been marked by upheaval at the Pentagon, as Navy Secretary John Phelan left his post at Mr. Trump and Hegseth’s direction. The president told reporters Thursday that Phelan is a “wonderful guy” but had trouble getting along with others.

“He’s a hard charger, and he had some conflicts with some other people,” Mr. Trump said. “Got to get along, especially in the military.”