Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the truce between Iran and the U.S. is “not over,” despite fresh attacks in the contested Strait of Hormuz that have raised concerns about further escalation.

Speaking during a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth told reporters that hostilities remained on hold but stressed that the future of the cease-fire ultimately rests with President Donald Trump.

“Right now the cease-fire certainly holds, but we're going to be watching very, very closely,” he said.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine struck a similar tone, describing the recent attacks as insufficient to begin military combat operations.

“Since the cease-fire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” he said.

The comments came as tensions in the Strait intensified following Trump’s announcement of “Project Freedom” on Sunday, aimed at freeing commercial ships stranded in the waterway–a vital route through which one-fifth of the world's oil trade passed before the conflict began.

“If, in any way, this humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully,” Trump said.

U.S. is striking Iranian vessels in the Strait

Hegseth confirmed Tuesday that two commercial ships have successfully transited the Strait and framed Iran as the “clear aggressor”, while adding that the U.S. had struck six Iranian vessels.

“We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact. They said they controlled the Strait, they do not,” he said.

Hegseth spoke after Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, an influential figure in Tehran, issued a new warning to Washington, claiming a “new equation” for the Strait of Hormuz was being established.

“The security of shipping and energy transit has been jeopardized by the United States and its allies through the violation of the cease-fire and the imposition of a blockade; of course, their evil will diminish,” Ghalibaf said.

Ghalibaf framed the continuation of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports as the main driver behind this shift and issued a veiled warning.

“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet,” he said.

Iranian officials responded to a U.S. mission to reopen the Strait, announced by President Trump to begin Monday, by warning commercial vessels against transiting without coordination with its own military, which has effectively controlled the waterway since the war began.

“We warn that any foreign armed force, especially the invading American army, will be attacked if they attempt to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz,” Iranian military official Ali Abdollahi told state media.

Monday was a day of claim and counter-claim; Tehran  said it had  struck an American vessel - denied by the Pentagon - and pushed back on claims that two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels had transited the Strait.  

Since then, a South Korean cargo ship has reportedly suffered an explosion and caught fire near the Strait. Trump quickly blamed Iran and called on South Korea to join the U.S. maritime operation.

“Iran has taken some shots at unrelated nations with respect to the ship movement, Project Freedom, including a South Korean cargo ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!” he said Monday.

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday that officials were working to ensure the safe return of the crew, without naming who was responsible.

“We will meticulously pursue all available measures to ensure the safe return of our vessel and crew,” he said.

South Korean officials are reportedly considering whether to join Trump’s proposed maritime mission in the Strait.

Since the start of the blockade, the U.S. has forced 51 commercial vessels to turn back, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday. 

UAE reports new wave of attacks as U.S.-Iran peace negotiations stall

Outside the strait, there were also fresh attacks in the Gulf. The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said Monday it intercepted 15 missiles and four drones launched by Iran. Authorities in Fujairah reported that one drone caused a fire at a major oil facility, injuring three Indian nationals.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE coast.

This marks the first time the UAE, a key U.S. ally, has been directly impacted since the cease-fire began, after earlier strikes during the initial phase of the war.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attacks Tuesday as “unacceptable,” stressing that safe passage through the Strait is “vital for enduring regional peace, stability and global energy security.”

Tehran denied targeting the UAE, with an Iranian military official instead blaming the U.S. presence in the Strait.

“The Islamic Republic had no premeditated plan to attack the mentioned oil facilities, and what happened was the result of the U.S. military's adventurism to create a passage for illegal ship transit through the forbidden routes of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US military must be held accountable for it,” the official told state media outlet IRIB.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the developments in the Strait as further evidence that “there's no military solution to a political crisis.”

“As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into a quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE,” he said Monday.

Iranian officials said they are reviewing the U.S. response, though Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei noted Monday that shifting demands have made diplomacy more difficult.