Rubio: U.S. operation in Strait of Hormuz is purely defensive
by Vaughn Cockayne · The Washington TimesSecretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday clarified that “Project Freedom,” the U.S operation to guide commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, is purely defensive.
At a press conference at the White House, Mr. Rubio said that U.S. naval vessels will not attack Iran unless they are attacked first.
“This is a defensive operation. And what that means is very simple. There’s no shooting unless we are shot at first,” he said. “You’re not gonna let some fast boat come up on the ship and shoot it up. We’re gonna respond to it.”
Mr. Rubio’s comments follow a flare-up in fighting in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, a day after President Trump announced Project Freedom. U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said that Pentagon forces destroyed six Iranian small boats after being attacked.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also confirmed on Tuesday that the operation would be “defensive in nature,” and that it is focused on defending civilian vessels.
“Iran is the clear aggressor — harassing civilian vessels, threatening mariners from every nation indiscriminately, and weaponizing a critical chokepoint for its own financial benefits,” he told reporters at the Pentagon.
Project Freedom follows nearly two months of tension surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept effectively closed with a blockade enforced by missiles, drones and a fleet of small boats.
The U.S. launched its own counterblockade of Iranian ports last month in an effort to ratchet up pressure on the economy of the Islamic republic.
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At least 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas travels through the Strait of Hormuz each year, and its closure has driven energy prices higher over the past two months. Average domestic U.S. gas prices reached above $4.30 a gallon this week.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.