Overview
- At a Pentagon briefing Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he would not confirm or deny any U.S. dolphin capability and asserted Iran does not have one.
- Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine joked the notion was like “sharks with laser beams,” signaling the Pentagon’s view that the claim is not credible.
- The exchange followed a Wall Street Journal report that Iranian officials had discussed mine‑carrying dolphins, and a source told CNN the U.S. is not using dolphins in current operations.
- Hegseth said commercial ships now have a lane of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz under Project Freedom, with mine‑response units prepared if hazards are found.
- The U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program, active since 1959, trains dolphins and sea lions to detect and mark mines rather than attack targets, and experts say success depends on skilled human teams working with the animals.