Hegseth Denies Iran's Kamikaze Dolphins Amid Hormuz Tensions

During a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied reports that Iran possesses 'kamikaze dolphins,' according to coverage from HuffPost, CBS News, and CNBC. The question about weaponized marine mammals was raised by Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan, citing a Wall Street Journal report that Iranian officials had mentioned the possibility of using mine-carrying dolphins in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth responded to the query with humor, comparing it to 'sharks with laser beams,' but confirmed that Iran does not have such capabilities. He also declined to confirm or deny whether the U.S. has similar weaponized marine mammals. The discussion came amidst broader talks about the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to reopen the critical waterway for commercial shipping.

The Pentagon is directing commercial ships towards a route farther from Iran that the Navy has spent weeks clearing, according to CBS News. This effort, part of 'Project Freedom,' aims to guide ships through a cleared path in the strait amid concerns over mines laid by Iran. Hegseth characterized Project Freedom as a 'defensive operation' separate from Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. and Israel's ongoing bombing campaign against Iran.

The Wall Street Journal initially reported on April 30 that Iranian officials had said Tehran could use previously unused weapons to attack U.S. warships, including mine-carrying dolphins. However, experts note that while several countries, including the U.S., have a history of using dolphins in conflict areas for tasks like detecting mines and conducting surveillance, there is no clear evidence that Iran has weaponized marine mammals.

President Trump announced on Sunday that 'Project Freedom' would begin the next morning to unblock the crucial waterway which Tehran has effectively closed since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. However, just 50 hours later, Trump posted that the mission was being put on hold 'for a short period of time,' citing progress towards a deal with Iran.

The pause came after initial successes, including two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and claims by Trump that the US military struck seven Iranian 'fast boats.' These claims were disputed by Iranian media, which reported that two small cargo vessels had been hit, killing five civilians. The UAE also reported a tanker affiliated with Adnoc being hit in the strait, and South Korea reported an explosion on one of its ships anchored just off the UAE.

Despite the pause, Hegseth emphasized that 'Project Freedom' was part of a 'laser-focused strategy' aimed at restoring freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The project had involved guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, and 15,000 service personnel.