U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has issued a stern warning to Iran, threatening a direct military and economic response if Iranian forces target U.S. Navy vessels operating in the region.
In a post on the social media platform X, Hegseth said the United States would respond to any attack on its ships by targeting Iranian oil tankers, while urging Tehran to refrain from opening fire on U.S. naval vessels.
Hegseth also pointed to what he described as weaknesses in Iran’s oil tanker defenses, claiming that the vessels lack adequate protection from Iranian naval and air forces.
He added that U.S. aircraft, warships and submarines have the capability to target Iranian oil tankers within the operational areas of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
U.S. Threatens Economic Costs for Iran
Hegseth’s warning came alongside his reposting of a statement from U.S. Central Command directed at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warning Tehran of potential economic consequences if American vessels are attacked.
The message stated that any attack on two U.S. ships would be met with strikes against three Iranian vessels, stressing that U.S. forces would not hesitate to defend their personnel and interests.
CENTCOM also said American forces were prepared, if necessary, to target what it described as Iran’s “limited fleet,” signaling the possibility that any U.S. response could expand to Iran’s maritime and oil transportation sectors.
The warning comes amid continuing military tensions between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns that the confrontation could widen to include maritime shipping and Iran’s oil sector, potentially putting additional pressure on the Iranian economy and the regional energy market.
