The Strait of Hormuz is a “tactically complex environment,” US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine says, acknowledging the difficulty in acting on plans to escort traffic safely through the strategic waterway, AFP reports.

“It’s a tactically complex environment. Before, I think, we want to take anything through there at scale, we want to make sure that we do the work pursuant to our current military objectives,” Caine said.

Asked if the Trump administration had adequately planned for Iran blocking the strait — used for a fifth of global crude trade — Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said yes, but did not provide details.

“We’re actually closing in on, grabbing hold of and controlling what objectives we want to achieve, and how we want to achieve them,” he said.