US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said Washington will end its war with Iran “on our timeline,” while warning that Tuesday would bring the most intense day of strikes so far as the US ramps up its military campaign against Tehran.
His remarks come a day after US President Donald Trump said the conflict was “very complete, pretty much,” while also noting that “we’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.”
“As President Trump declared yesterday, we’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force,” CNN quoted Hegseth as saying during a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday.
“But we do so on our timeline and at our choosing,” he added.
Hegseth said the ultimate decision on when the war ends rests with Trump.
“He’s the one elected on behalf of the American people,” Hegseth said. “And so it’s not for me to posit whether it’s the beginning, the middle or the end, that’s his and he’ll continue to communicate that.”
Hegseth also addressed Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, urging him to follow Trump’s warnings against pursuing nuclear weapons.
“The new leader of Iran, he would be wise to heed the words of our president, which is to not pursue nuclear weapons and come out and state as such,” Hegseth said.
‘Iran’s leadership under pressure’
The defence secretary also claimed that Iran’s leadership was under pressure as the war entered its second week.
“The mullahs are desperate and scrambling like the terrorist cowards they are,” Hegseth said.
He accused Iran of launching missiles from civilian areas, including schools and hospitals, although he provided no evidence specifically supporting claims of missiles being fired from schools.
“They fire missiles from schools and hospitals deliberately, targeting innocents because they know their military is being systematically degraded and annihilated,” he said.
The comments come amid scrutiny over a US strike that destroyed a girls’ school in Iran during the early stages of the conflict, killing dozens of people, many of them children. Iranian authorities blamed the United States for the attack.
Hegseth said the ongoing campaign, known as Operation Epic Fury, aims to dismantle Iran’s military capabilities and prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We will not relent until the enemy is totally and entirely defeated,” he said.
He also sought to distinguish the current campaign from previous US wars in the region.
“This is not 2003 and it is not endless nation-building,” Hegseth said.
‘Tuesday will be most intense day of strikes’
Hegseth warned that Tuesday would be “the most intense day of strikes” so far in the conflict, even as he claimed Iran’s missile launches had dropped significantly.
At the same briefing, General Dan Caine said US forces remain focused on three main objectives: destroying Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, degrading the Iranian navy, and preventing Tehran from threatening the United States and its partners.
“Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downwards, down 90% from when we started,” Caine said.
He added that US forces were targeting Iranian mine-laying missiles and other military assets, describing the campaign as “gritty and tireless work.”
Hegseth also criticised Iran for launching attacks against neighbouring Gulf states.
“Big mistake by the Iranian regime in attacking it’s neighbours, right away … flailing recklessly,” he said.
When asked about civilian casualties, Hegseth said the United States takes extensive precautions during military operations.
“No nation takes more precautions to ensure there is never targeting of civilians than the USA,” he said.
“Where things happen that need to be investigated, we will investigate.”
Hegseth warns Russia
Hegseth also warned Russia against becoming involved in the conflict, following a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He described the conversation as a “strong call,” adding that it underscored “a recognition that, as it pertains to this conflict, they should not be involved.”
With inputs from agencies
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