US CENTCOM chief highlights operations against Iran, says forces remain ready

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun will not hold a call with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the near future, three Lebanese officials told Reuters on Thursday.

The clarification came after US President Donald Trump said leaders of both countries would speak.

Two of the officials said Lebanon’s embassy in Washington had informed the US administration ahead of a call between Aoun and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Aoun would not speak with Netanyahu.

US forces have turned back 13 vessels since the start of the blockade on Iran, with ships warned they would face boarding or force if they attempted to proceed, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine said on Thursday.

Caine said US naval and air assets moved quickly to intercept vessels approaching Iranian waters, applying what he described as visible military pressure.

“At each point, the United States Navy will transmit a warning … ‘Do not attempt to breach the blockade. Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure,’” he said, adding ships were told to turn around or “prepare to be boarded.”

He said 13 ships had turned back so far, with most reversing course inside the blockade line and one turning away before reaching it.

“As of this morning, US Central Command has not been required to board any particular ships,” Caine said.

He added that any vessel attempting to cross the blockade could face escalated measures.

“That includes a series of escalated force options, which could include warning shots,” he said.

US forces are also carrying out similar maritime interdiction efforts in other regions, including the Pacific, targeting vessels suspected of supporting Iran, Caine said.

The US blockade on Iran applies to all vessels heading to or from Iranian ports, regardless of nationality, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine said on Thursday.

“Let me be clear, this blockade applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports,” Caine said at a Pentagon briefing.

He said the action targets Iran’s ports and coastline rather than the Strait of Hormuz itself, with enforcement taking place in Iran’s territorial waters and in international waters.

“The US action is a blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline, not a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Caine said US forces would also pursue vessels beyond the region if they support Iran.

“The joint force … will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” he said.

This includes so-called “dark fleet” vessels used to move Iranian oil outside international rules, he added.

More than 10,000 US personnel, over a dozen ships and dozens of aircraft are involved in the operation, Caine said.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday the United States would maintain its blockade on Iran “for as long as it takes,” warning Tehran its energy sector and military assets remain under close watch.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said Iran was “digging out of bombed out and devastated facilities” and trying to recover remaining missile launchers.

“You are digging out your remaining launchers and missiles with no ability to replace them,” he said. “You can dig out for now, but you can’t reconstitute.”

Hegseth said US forces were tracking Iranian movements and could strike key infrastructure if ordered.

“We are locked and loaded on your critical dual use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry,” he said.

He added the blockade was already restricting Iran’s energy flows.

“Your energy is not moving and will not move,” Hegseth said, adding the US Navy controls traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States is enforcing the blockade with less than 10% of its naval power, he said, adding that Iran effectively has no operational naval presence in the area.

Hegseth said Washington would prefer a diplomatic outcome but warned of escalation if talks fail.

“We’d rather not have to do it, but we’re ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button,” he said.

“For as long as it takes, we will maintain this blockade,” he added.

He said the United States could escalate to strikes on infrastructure, including power and energy facilities, if Iran “chooses poorly,” while also increasing economic pressure.

“The War Department will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth said.

The US military has widened its shipping blockade on Iran to include cargoes deemed contraband, with vessels suspected of heading to Iranian territory subject to search and seizure, the US Navy said in an advisory on Thursday.

“These vessels, regardless of location, are subject to visit, board, search, and seizure,” the navy said in an updated notice following the blockade imposed on Monday.

The navy said contraband includes weapons, weapons systems, ammunition, nuclear materials, crude and refined oil products, as well as iron, steel and aluminium.

The advisory said vessels suspected of attempting to reach Iran would be subject to belligerent rights to visit and search under maritime rules.