Hegseth Claims Iranian Military Is ‘Destroyed,’ Strait of Hormuz Attacks Sign of ‘Sheer Desperation’

Hegseth described Iran’s attacks in the crucial shipping lanes as a sign of “sheer desperation.”

“The only thing prohibiting transit in the Strait right now is Iran shooting at shipping,” he said. “That’s not a Strait we’re going to allow to remain contested or without a flow of commercial goods.”

Hegseth dismissed concerns about the safety of getting through the Strait, telling reporters they “don’t need to worry about it.” It is “something we are dealing with,” he said.  

The Defense Secretary went on to criticize the press for reporting on how war planners have handled Iran’s actions against international shipping. 

He singled out CNN for reporting that the Pentagon underestimated the war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth denied this and, in an apparent attempt to chill such reporting, implied that Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison should silence such reporting if a pending merger between Paramount and CNN’s owner Warner Bros. goes through. “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,” he said.