Hegseth Says U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Is 'Not Over' Despite Fresh Strait of Hormuz Clashes

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in effect even after the two sides exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz, framing the latest violence as part of a limited U.S. effort to protect commercial shipping rather than a return to full-scale combat. The comments came as the Pentagon tried to reassure markets and regional partners that Washington's new escort mission, called Project Freedom, had not collapsed the broader truce despite Iranian attacks on U.S. forces and merchant traffic.

The Details

Speaking at the Pentagon, Hegseth said flatly that "The ceasefire is not over" when asked whether the recent exchange of fire had effectively ended the truce. He said Project Freedom is a separate and temporary operation designed to guide commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth also acknowledged that the first day of the operation was violent. "We expected there would be some churn at the beginning, which happened," he said, according to The Hill. Reuters reported that U.S. forces said they sank six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian missiles and drones while escorting merchant traffic through the strait. CBS News separately reported that U.S. Central Command also described six Iranian boats as destroyed, though President Trump later said seven were hit. Iran, through its state-run IRNA news agency, denied that any of its fast boats were destroyed.

Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine said Iran has attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times since the ceasefire and has also fired repeatedly at commercial vessels. Even so, he said those incidents have remained below "the threshold of restarting major combat operations."

CBS News reported that two U.S.-flagged commercial vessels transited the strait under escort as part of Project Freedom after U.S. destroyers moved through the waterway under Iranian fire. Reuters also reported that more than 1,550 commercial vessels carrying about 22,500 mariners have been stuck in the Gulf as Washington tries to reopen the route.

Context

The administration has emphasized that Project Freedom is separate from Operation Epic Fury, the broader U.S. military campaign tied to the conflict with Iran. Hegseth described the shipping mission as limited in scope and duration.

The Strait of Hormuz normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, according to Reuters, making any disruption there globally significant. Reuters reported that the escort mission is part of Washington's attempt to reopen the waterway after Iran asserted control over the strait during the conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to CBS News, said there is "no military solution" to the crisis and warned regional partners against being dragged back into a wider conflict.

What's Next

The Pentagon says Project Freedom will continue as U.S. forces escort commercial vessels through the strait. The next test is whether those crossings can continue without the violence escalating beyond what U.S. officials describe as the threshold for restarting major combat operations.