US announces aggressive expansion of Iran blockade, warns regime to ‘choose wisely’ WASHINGTON — The US military will “actively pursue” any Iranian-flagged vessels or any ships attempting to support the regime elsewhere in the world, Gen. Dan Caine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced Thursday — in an expansion of the blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Caine explained that in addition to cutting off the regime’s ports in the critical oil chokepoint, other US military assets will also look out for and stop vessels elsewhere, including in the Indo-Pacific region. “The joint force, through operations and activities in other areas of responsibility, like the Pacific Area of Responsibility under the command of Admiral [Samuel] Paparo, will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Caine said at a press conference on Thursday. Follow The Post’s live coverage of President Trump and national politics for the latest news and analysis “This includes Dark Fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil. As most of you know, Dark Fleet vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also warned Iranian leaders to “choose wisely” on whether to accept a deal with the US. “To Iran: Choose wisely. I pray you choose a deal which is in your grasp for the betterment of your people and for the betterment of the world,” Hegseth said at the press conference. “In the meantime, the War Department is locked and loaded.” President Trump first announced the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday — and by Tuesday US Central Command, which coordinates the joint forces in the Middle East, announced the cutting off of Iranian ports was fully implemented. Caine also stressed, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did on Wednesday, that non-Iranian-linked traffic is still allowed to trek through the Strait of Hormuz. “Let me be clear, this blockade applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports,” Caine said. “The US action is a blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline, not a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Enforcement will occur inside Iran’s territorial seas.”
US announces aggressive expansion of Iran blockade, warns regime to ‘choose wisely’ WASHINGTON — The US military will “actively pursue” any Iranian-flagged vessels or any ships attempting to support the regime elsewhere in the world, Gen. Dan Caine Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of…
See this event through different lenses
Compare how Western, Iranian, Israeli, Global South, and Pro-Peace perspectives frame this event.
Compare PerspectivesLoading notes...
U.S. diesel prices reached a reported record average of $5.85 per gallon this Friday, with officials attributing the spike to ongoing conflicts with Iran disrupting global fuel supplies. Analysts suggest these increases may lead to higher transportation and consumer costs, while regular gasoline also rose to an average of $4.
15 per gallon, up from $3.20 a year prior.
According to unverified accounts provided by a relative, Valivade served as a refuge for approximately 5,000 Polish refugees between 1942 and 1948, a period marked by the displacement of civilians following the 1939 invasion of Poland. The source claims that individual survivors, including a girl reportedly disguised to avoid danger, found temporary stability at the settlement, which is locally known as "Drugi Dom.
The United States and Israel have reportedly engaged in a regional conflict with Iran for nearly six months, during which Strait of Hormuz oil transit has remained significantly below prewar levels of 20 million barrels per day, despite U.S. officials claiming Navy escort operations.
Although the Strait typically facilitates over 20% of global energy trade, analysts suggest that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may continue to restrict normal transit even if diplomatic agreements are reached. Current tensions have escalated following the expiration of a reported 60-day ceasefire, prompting the U.
S. to announce new economic isolation measures while hostilities appear to have resumed.
Sudan’s civil war, which has persisted for nearly four years, has reportedly displaced over 13 million people and caused significant famine, with casualty estimates suggesting approximately 59,000 deaths. Recent U.S. officials have highlighted the severity of the humanitarian crisis, noting that two-thirds of the population requires aid, while reports from the UN Security Council indicate that armed drones have been responsible for the majority of recorded civilian deaths in the first half of the year.