Pete Hegseth Says Next Iran War Days Decisive
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that the coming days in the Iran war will be decisive, while refusing to rule out the possible use of American ground forces. His remarks suggest Washington wants to keep military pressure high even as it signals that negotiations to end the conflict may still be possible.
Pete Hegseth Says Iran War Days Are Decisive
Hegseth said the next few days would be critical in shaping the course of the war and claimed Iran understood the seriousness of the moment. He said there was little Iran could do militarily to change the current balance, indicating confidence in the position of US and allied forces as operations continue.
US Ground Troops Option Not Ruled Out
Asked about concerns over whether the United States could send ground troops into Iran, Hegseth declined to close off that possibility. He said wars cannot be fought effectively by publicly revealing which options are on or off the table. The statement leaves open the prospect that Washington wants to preserve strategic ambiguity as it weighs military and diplomatic outcomes.
Pentagon Says Iran Talks Are Gaining Strength
At the same time, Hegseth said efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict were real, active and gaining strength. He also revealed that he had made an unannounced visit to US troops in the Middle East over the weekend, though he did not name the bases for security reasons. Alongside him, senior US military officials said American forces had struck more than 11,000 targets so far and continued to focus on Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities.
