U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that a fragile ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite recent hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement comes as the U.S. attempts to balance the protection of global shipping lanes with the prevention of a full-scale return to combat operations. Any breakdown in this pause could destabilize energy markets and escalate military engagement in the Persian Gulf.
During a press conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth and senior official Caine addressed the status of a two-week pause [3] in fighting. The current tension follows major combat operations announced by President Donald Trump on Feb. 28, 2026 [4].
"The ceasefire is not over," Hegseth said.
Recent clashes have occurred in the Strait of Hormuz and around Fujairah in the UAE. U.S. forces sank seven small Iranian boats [1] during these encounters. Hegseth said the U.S. is aiming to protect shipping from Iranian aggression in the region.
While some reports describe the sinking of the vessels as offensive action, Pentagon officials characterized the response as defensive. Caine said the attacks are below the threshold of resuming fighting.
The violence has already impacted non-combatants. Three Indian nationals were injured in an attack on Fujairah [2].
Hegseth said the U.S. remains committed to its objective of securing the waterway, a critical artery for global oil shipments, while maintaining the current diplomatic pause.
“"The ceasefire is not over,"”
The U.S. is currently employing a strategy of 'calibrated response,' engaging in kinetic actions—such as sinking Iranian vessels—while officially maintaining a ceasefire. By defining these clashes as being 'below the threshold' of war, the Pentagon is attempting to deter Iranian interference with shipping without triggering a formal collapse of the two-week pause or a return to the high-intensity combat seen in February.
