U.S. Defense Secretary: Two American commercial ships have safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz; the ceasefire has not yet ended

BlockBeats message — On May 5, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth said that with U.S. forces escorting, two U.S. commercial vessels have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, showing that the route is currently “kept open.” The action is part of the U.S. “Freedom Plan,” aimed at protecting commercial shipping from Iranian interference.

Hegseth emphasized that this action is defensive in nature, and the U.S. military does not need to enter Iranian territorial waters or airspace, and is independent of previous offensive actions against Iran. He also noted that the U.S. does not seek to escalate the conflict in the region, but will continue to maintain a comprehensive blockade against Iran.

In response to developments in the situation, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. military said that the current Iranian-related attacks have not yet reached the threshold to restart large-scale military operations. Hegseth also warned that if Iran continues to attack commercial shipping, it will face “overwhelming firepower,” and called on the international community to step in as soon as possible and jointly bear responsibility for the safety of the shipping route.