TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
July 30 , 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amid mounting public skepticism over escalating hostilities in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday that recent military developments were unfolding according to what he described as a "divine plan" that the Department of Defense had anticipated for years.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the United States had deployed two new naval strike formations—the Gulf Operations Group (GOG) and the Middle-east/Africa Ground Offense Group (MAGOG)—to conduct patrols in the Strait of Hormuz and waters near Houthi-controlled areas of the Red Sea.
"We expect this to end in days," Hegseth said, while declining to elaborate on the operational objectives of the newly announced groups or the basis for his reference to a "divine plan."
The remarks drew immediate questions from reporters, several of whom sought clarification on whether the secretary was describing an official military strategy or expressing a personal belief. Pentagon officials present at the briefing did not provide additional details, and no supporting documentation regarding the reported deployments was released.
Members of Congress from both parties called for classified briefings to better understand the evolving military posture in the region. International observers reacted cautiously, with analysts noting that increased naval activity in and around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea could have implications for commercial shipping and regional security if tensions continued to escalate.
Financial markets showed modest volatility following the briefing as investors weighed the possibility of broader instability in one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors.
The White House declined to comment directly on the secretary's statements, referring questions about military operations to the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, allied governments said they were monitoring developments closely but did not announce any immediate changes to their own force posture.
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