US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee on 22 July that Russia and China were providing assistance to Iran as Tehran resumed attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz and American forces intensified military operations in the region. The disclosure came during a high-stakes congressional hearing on a major supplemental funding request.

What Hegseth Told the Senate

Hegseth made the remarks before the Senate Appropriations Committee, which was examining President Donald Trump's request for $87.6 billion in supplemental funding — of which roughly $67 billion is earmarked for the military. The hearing took a sharp turn when Republican Senator John Hoeven pressed Hegseth on whether Moscow and Beijing were actively supporting Tehran.

'There are ways in which both of those countries are limiting at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing. Yes,' Hegseth said, without elaborating on the nature or scale of the assistance.

General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also declined to discuss specifics publicly. 'I'd rather not opine on the specifics because that would divulge what we know and I never want the adversary to know what I know. I just want to know it,' Caine said.

US Strikes and the Breakdown of the Shipping Truce

Hegseth disclosed that US forces had struck Iranian targets for a 10th consecutive evening, following a breakdown in an earlier understanding with Tehran over commercial shipping. 'We moved into an MOU where Iran said we won't shoot at shipping, and then they turned — the IRGC turned around and decided to start shooting at commercial shipping again,' he said, referring to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

He said the Trump administration had reimposed a blockade against Iran, describing it as 'effectively impenetrable', and confirmed that the United States had seized a vessel inside the Arabian Gulf. American forces were also reportedly targeting Iran's surveillance and monitoring capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz to gain tactical advantages.

Project Freedom and Oil Transit Claims

Hegseth disclosed a covert operation — referred to as Project Freedom — under which the United States, with assistance from Gulf countries, had moved between 400 million and 500 million barrels of oil past Iran. 'We've been in control of moving traffic through there for quite some time,' he said.

Notably, Hegseth also confirmed that Iran's conventional navy had been sunk during the conflict, though he acknowledged that Tehran retained fast boats, coastal missiles, and the capability to mine international waters or strike commercial vessels.

Democratic Pushback and Competing Claims

Democratic senators challenged the administration's account of the situation. Senator Jack Reed argued that the Strait of Hormuz had been open to shipping before the conflict began and accused the administration of failing to prevent disruption to global energy supplies. He noted that Iran had again reduced commercial traffic through the strait, contradicting Hegseth's assertion of effective US control.

Broader Strategic Stakes

Hegseth argued that the supplemental funding would enable the United States to sustain operations around Hormuz while deterring Russia and China from intervening in future conflicts. The hearing underscores the widening geopolitical dimensions of the Hormuz standoff, with Washington now publicly implicating two permanent members of the UN Security Council in Iran's actions. How Congress responds to the $87.6 billion request could shape the next phase of US engagement in the region.