Washington: The United States has signaled a major escalation in the ongoing conflict with Iran, with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warning that the coming hours could witness the most intense phase of attacks so far.
Speaking during a press conference, Hegseth said that the military campaign is only in its early stages and that the scale of operations is expected to increase significantly.
According to international media reports, Hegseth’s remarks created confusion regarding earlier comments by US President Donald Trump, who had suggested that the conflict might end soon.
When asked about Trump’s statement indicating a possible quick end to the war, the defense secretary said that while the United States is committed to continuing the operation, the ultimate decision about when the war ends rests entirely with President Trump.
During the briefing, journalists also asked Hegseth about reports claiming that Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been injured in a recent US strike.
The defense secretary declined to confirm or deny the reports, saying he could not comment on the matter. However, he advised Khamenei to act “wisely” and follow President Trump’s recommendation by abandoning Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Hegseth further stated that the outcome of the war would ultimately favor the United States.
He argued that Washington aims to ensure it will no longer face what he described as “nuclear blackmail” in the future.
The defense secretary also warned that the US military operation, named Operation Epic Fury, remains unchanged in its objectives.
He emphasized that the next phase of the campaign would involve a significant increase in military activity.
According to Hegseth, today’s operations will include the highest number of fighter jets, bombers, and coordinated strikes carried out so far in the conflict, supported by improved intelligence capabilities and expanded targeting operations.
The US defense secretary also claimed that Iran had fired the lowest number of missiles in the last 24 hours since the beginning of the conflict.
He described Iran as increasingly isolated and weakened, suggesting that the pressure from ongoing military operations is beginning to affect its response capacity.