Hegseth: “We’ll be hanging around”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said the U.S. military would be “hanging around” to ensure Iran complies with the two-week ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz remains open.

“We’ll be hanging around. We’re not going anywhere,” he told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. “We’re going to make sure Iran complies with this ceasefire and then ultimately comes to the table and makes a deal.”

The Pentagon leader, who declared earlier in the briefing that the mission had been completed, said the U.S. military would “stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant” for whatever happens.

“Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment’s notice, with whatever target package would be needed in order to ensure that Iran complies,” he said.

Secretary Hegseth said Iran has agreed to let ships move through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway critical for oil shipping, but that it should also fall on other countries to help ensure it stays open.

“It’s time for the rest of the world to step up and ensure that stays open after President Trump and the War Department brought Iran to a place where they’re voluntarily opening it right now,” he said.

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