US authorizes strikes on Iranian boats in Hormuz

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that President Donald Trump has authorized the United States Navy to use lethal force against Iranian fast boats in the Strait of Hormuz. The new rules of engagement permit the Navy to "fire upon and destroy" Iranian vessels caught attempting to lay mines or attack American commercial or military ships. This move represents a sharp escalation in U.S. naval policy within one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.