U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters on Tuesday that a regime change has taken place in Iran and that American military actions will persist, growing more intense if Tehran does not agree to a deal. Speaking after a weekend visit to troops engaged in the operation, Hegseth framed current U.S. operations as moving toward a decisive phase.
Hegseth said the balance of firepower has shifted, with American strikes increasing while Iranian military capability is falling. He characterized the near term as a pivotal window for the campaign, saying the coming days will be decisive for the military operation.
According to the Defense Secretary, ongoing U.S. strikes are having an effect on Iranian forces beyond the physical damage inflicted. He said that the attacks are damaging Iranian military morale and are producing widespread desertions within Iranian ranks. At the same time, Hegseth acknowledged that Iran will continue to launch some missile strikes.
On that point, he stated that U.S. forces are prepared to shoot down missiles that Iran continues to fire, indicating an active defensive posture alongside offensive operations. Hegseth reiterated that if Iran does not show willingness to reach a negotiated settlement, the United States will press its military campaign with greater intensity.
The comments followed Hegseth's visit to deployed troops participating in the operation over the weekend. He used his remarks to contrast what he described as increasing American firepower with a simultaneous decrease in Iranian capabilities and morale. His assessment emphasized both kinetic effects - strikes and missile interdiction - and the operational effects on Iranian forces, such as desertions.
Hegseth's public positioning links the continuation and potential escalation of U.S. strikes directly to Iran's response to negotiations. The Secretary presented a binary framing: if Tehran agrees to a deal, the trajectory of operations could change; if it does not, U.S. strikes will continue and ramp up in intensity.
Note on available information: The statements summarized here reflect comments made by the U.S. Defense Secretary as reported to reporters. No additional operational details, timelines, or outcomes beyond those remarks are included.