Hegseth dismisses intl Hormuz talks as 'silly'

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed high-level international discussions about reestablishing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The talks, hosted by Britain and France this week, involved nearly 50 countries seeking solutions to the critical maritime chokepoint. Hegseth characterized the diplomatic effort as 'silly talks,' signaling a US preference for unilateral military action over multilateral diplomacy. This stance comes as the US maintains a naval blockade of Iran and has authorized lethal force against Iranian vessels in the waterway.