LIVE: Marco Rubio holds White House briefing

Rescuing 23,000 stranded civilians from 87 nations

U.S. forces are guiding commercial ships to safety after Iran's two-month blockade left sailors starving and vulnerable, causing at least 10 confirmed civilian deaths.

Strictly defensive rules of engagement

Rubio emphasized U.S. forces fire only if fired upon first, having destroyed seven Iranian fastboats that threatened shipping while successfully escorting two U.S. merchant vessels through the strait.

Major military asset deployment

The operation deploys guided missile destroyers, over 100 aircraft, unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members to create a protective bubble for commercial transit.

Iran's economy in collapse

Inflation has hit 70%, the currency is in freefall, and the blockade costs Iran approximately $500 million daily in lost revenue while sanctions have halted 90% of its trade.

Treasury targeting sanctions evasion

Foreign financial institutions and commercial actors enabling Iranian revenue flows face secondary sanctions and complete loss of access to the U.S. financial system.

Diplomatic path requires nuclear concessions

While Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner pursue negotiations, Iran must verifiably abandon its nuclear program to achieve reconstruction and prosperity rather than total economic collapse.

Evidence of military nuclear program

Iran enriches uranium to 60% levels with no civilian application, operates secret mountain enrichment facilities, and develops long-range missiles capable of striking Europe.

Legal defensive countermeasures

The U.S. blockade is a legal response to Iran's criminal mining of international waters, preventing Tehran from normalizing illegal tolls and exclusive control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Rejecting 'act of war' criticism

Rubio countered lawmakers by noting that mining international waterways constitutes the actual illegal act, while the U.S. response simply enforces freedom of navigation.