The US Secretary of Defense’s Two-Sided Response Regarding the Use of Suicide Dolphins in the Strait of Hormuz + Video

Thursday, May 07, 2026  Read time1 min

Saad News: The US Secretary of War said: “We use suicide dolphins.”

The US Secretary of Defense’s Two-Sided Response Regarding the Use of Suicide Dolphins in the Strait of Hormuz + Video

According to SAEDNEWS, in a recent Pentagon press briefing, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to reports about Iran’s naval programs by saying: “I cannot confirm or deny whether we have suicide dolphins or not, but I can confirm that they (Iran) do not have such a thing.” His remarks, accompanied by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine and his joking reference to movies, quickly attracted media attention. US officials in the briefing emphasized that they are monitoring maritime threats, but dismissed reports suggesting Iran could use animals as offensive weapons as unrealistic.

The US Navy’s marine mammal program, which began in 1959, is officially used for detecting mines and protecting harbors, and the Pentagon has consistently denied any offensive or “suicidal” use of these animals. However, Hegseth’s ambiguous response—refusing to deny such capabilities for the US itself—sparked speculation about hidden layers of underwater military programs. This approach reflects an attempt by US defense officials to ridicule certain threats while maintaining strategic ambiguity in regional waters.