Pentagon Tells Iran: Deal or Strikes on Energy Grid. Blockade Holds, 13 Ships Turned Away. Trump Announces Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine reported 13 ships turned away since April 13, with zero breaches of the enforcement line.
MIDDLE EAST — The Pentagon briefed reporters on April 16 as the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports entered its fourth day. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told Iran’s military leadership the United States is “locked and loaded” on the country’s energy infrastructure and that Iran faces a choice between a deal and the destruction of its remaining economic capacity.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine reported 13 ships turned away since April 13, with zero breaches of the enforcement line.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, returning from his second trip to the region in 15 days, reported more than 50,000 service members deployed across 70 locations.
The Treasury Department launched Operation Economic Fury on April 15, threatening secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions and announcing that the authorization for stranded Iranian oil sales will not be renewed.
Trump said on April 16 that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire. The State Department reported that an April 14 trilateral meeting in Washington was the first major high-level engagement between the two governments since 1993.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) rated the regional maritime threat level CRITICAL, flagging unverified reports of mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth to Iran’s Military Leadership: “Choose Wisely”
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