Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday the United States is not counting on European support as the Pentagon dispatched a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East amid the ongoing war against Iran.
The George H.W. Bush entered the region Friday, marking the first time in 23 years that the U.S. has had three carriers under U.S. Central Command in the Middle East. Together, the carriers have about 200 aircraft and 15,000 personnel on board.
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The buildup comes as the U.S. military enforces a blockade of ships departing from or arriving at Iranian ports.
Hegseth said 34 ships had been turned back since the blockade began. He also warned that U.S. forces would fire on vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
“To the regime in Tehran: The blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in, nothing out,” Hegseth said.
Pentagon officials have expressed growing frustration over the lack of international support during the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping lane for global oil supplies. In peacetime, nearly 20% of the world’s oil passed through the strait.
Since the war began, oil prices have surged, pushing gas prices higher worldwide.
“We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do,” Hegseth said. “They might want to start doing less talking, having fewer fancy conferences in Europe, and get in a boat. This is much more their fight than ours.”
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