On Tuesday, the U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, warned that it would be an ‘intense day’ for the U.S. strikes against Iran. He also said that Tehran is currently standing alone, and that it was its biggest mistake to target its neighboring countries.
During a media briefing, Hegseth mentioned, “Today will be the most intense day of strikes against Iran… The most fighters, the most bombers, the most intelligence, more defined and better than ever.”
He also mentioned the final goal is to “permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons.” Meanwhile, he listed all the other goals set by the U.S., which include destroying the missile stockpiles, missile launchers, and their defense industrial base.
Hegseth continued his address and claimed that Iran is desperate and crumbling. He cited as evidence the fact that Iran has fired the lowest number of missiles in the last 24 hours.
BREAKING: After reports emerged that Iran was actively laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump announced the U.S. military has destroyed 10 “inactive” Iranian mine-laying vessels in targeted strikes.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I am pleased to report that… pic.twitter.com/wopWayjflG
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) March 10, 2026
His warning is also a factor in the ongoing oil-trade issue that followed the U.S-Iran war. According to The Week, he has warned Tehran that the U.S. will strike harder if it tries to close the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz. Apart from that, the frequent changes in the prices of oil have also prompted President Donald Trump, who threatened Tehran with “death, fire, and fury” if the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
In his speech, Hegseth stated that the U.S. takes care to “never [target] civilians.” With his statement, he condemned Iran for targeting civilians indiscriminately and alleged that they fire missiles from schools and hospitals.
🚨 BREAKING: SecWar Pete Hegseth just dropped truth nukes on anyone crying “WAR CRIME!” against America
“NO nation takes more precautions to ensure there’s never targeting of civilians than the United States of America!”
“From the boat strikes in the Caribbean, where every… pic.twitter.com/pIWBfkYn8j
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 10, 2026
Hegseth’s warning indeed held weight, considering there have been fresh escalations in the war. As per a new update from BBC News, the U.S. claims that it has eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This comes after Trump warned Iran not to deploy any mines there. Additionally, the U.S. alleges that three commercial ships have also been damaged by unknown projectiles.
The war is intensifying quickly as new reports claim that three B-1B Bomber planes took off from the Fairford Base in the UK. As reported by The Week, the U.S. military personnel were also seen preparing explosives at an airbase in Gloucestershire. This comes amidst Hegseth’s blunt warning to Tehran, and hints that the U.S. is planning to strike heavily.
Moreover, reportedly, there are 11 American B1-B bombers and three B-52 bombers at the Fairford Airbase, highlighting the intensity of the U.S. preparation.
Apart from the U.S. and Iran, multiple other countries in the Middle East are affected, with Iran continuously targeting them. Until now, many countries, including the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, and more, have seen both economic and human losses.
