22.5 Thousand Sailors Stranded in Hormuz.. Washington Threatens 'Devastating' Response

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the United States seeks to protect maritime shipping from "Iranian aggression", emphasizing that Tehran is attempting to impose transit fees on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as "unacceptable extortion", and affirming that Operation "Project Freedom" aims to end this situation.

The US official explained that the operation is temporary in nature and separate from Operation "Epic of Anger", noting that opening the Strait of Hormuz will not require US forces to enter Iranian airspace or territorial waters.

In the same context, US Chief of Staff General Dan Kain revealed that about 22,500 sailors aboard 150 ships remain stranded at sea and unable to cross the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing restrictions and tensions.

He pointed out that some US commercial ships managed to cross the strait today, with expectations of other ships passing in the coming period, calling on countries with interests in the navigational corridor to provide support to US forces.

The military official accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps of attempting to "take the world hostage", affirming that Iran prevented the passage of ships and damaged the global economy over seven weeks.

He stressed that any attack targeting cargo ships will be met with a "devastating" response, in a reference to Washington's readiness for military escalation if threats to international navigation continue.