"For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do-hold the strait hostage. They are exercising sheer desperation in the straits of Hormuz. Something we're dealing with. We have been dealing with it and don't need to worry about it."
"Hegseth's presentation gave no remotely skeptical viewer any new reasons to trust that the administration expected the war to go as it has nor that there is a realistic plan to end it. Instead, his briefing suggests he believes that the administration's only challenge in the Middle East is to prevent news organizations from reporting on anything but Iran's desperation."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a press conference responding to CNN's report that the Trump administration erroneously assumed Iran would keep the Strait of Hormuz open during military operations. Iran has since mined the strait, attacked ships, and disrupted traffic, causing commodity prices to rise. Hegseth dismissed the report as "fake news" and "patently ridiculous," claiming Iran's actions represent mere desperation requiring no concern. However, his elaboration that Iran has historically threatened to hold the strait hostage inadvertently validates CNN's reporting. His dismissive tone and lack of substantive explanation suggest the administration underestimated Iran's capabilities and lacks a realistic plan to address Middle East challenges.
#iran-military-strategy #strait-of-hormuz #defense-policy #trump-administration #middle-east-conflict
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