The United States has warned Iran that any attack on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz will trigger a “devastating” military response, even as Washington maintains that a fragile ceasefire between the two sides remains in place.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that Washington was “not looking for a fight” but would act decisively if American forces or international shipping were targeted. His remarks came as the US military launched “Project Freedom”, an operation aimed at restoring the flow of maritime trade through the strategically vital waterway.

“We’re not looking for a fight,” Hegseth told reporters at........

© Naya Daur