The U.S. military's top priority in the Middle East right now is to ensure oil tankers can travel through the Strait of Hormuz, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Newsmax on Wednesday.

Appearing on "Wake Up America," Holt said U.S. forces are focused on keeping the critical shipping lane open as tensions escalate with Iran following recent strikes and attempts by Tehran to mine the strategic waterway.

"The straits will be cleared," Holt said, describing ongoing U.S. operations targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels. "That's the number one priority — the world economy."

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important energy chokepoints in the world, with roughly a fifth of global oil shipments passing through the narrow corridor between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.

Any disruption could send energy prices soaring and destabilize global markets.

According to Holt, U.S. forces have already destroyed more than 20 Iranian vessels believed to be laying naval mines in the region. The mission, he explained, has become a methodical military process.

"It's how fast can we get the jet back, rearm it, put it back up in the sky and get it after its targets?" Holt said. "This is really a process now."

Holt also noted the global stakes involved, pointing out that even countries often at odds with the United States rely heavily on oil flowing through the strait.

"China needs our help on this one," he said. "That's 46% of their oil."

Also appearing on the show, Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and a former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, said Iran's proxy network is increasingly desperate as pressure mounts on the regime.

Jasser said Hezbollah's recent coordinated attacks on Israel alongside Iran demonstrate how closely the terror group remains tied to Tehran.

"Hezbollah basically is Tehran," Jasser said. "Once Tehran is defeated, once the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] is gone, their hive mind is gone."

The Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group has long served as one of the regime's most powerful regional proxies. Jasser said that if Iran's ruling theocracy loses power, it could weaken terrorist networks across the Middle East.

He also suggested that internal pressure inside Iran could eventually spark broader change.

"With Iran gone, you see the people of Iran that will be able to rise up," Jasser said.

Meanwhile, Holt warned Americans not to lose sight of what U.S. forces are defending as American troops face injuries in the escalating conflict.

"These men and women in uniform are not just creating a peaceful situation in the Middle East," Holt said. "They're defending us here at home."

He argued that dismantling Iran's command structure would make it far more difficult for Tehran to activate terror networks targeting the United States.

"We don't want to see our future generations under the thumb of some revenge-minded, crazed sect that wants to destroy America and what America represents," Holt said.

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