{"id":34972,"date":"2026-04-01T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=34972"},"modified":"2026-03-31T23:07:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T20:07:04","slug":"us-defense-chief-says-coming-days-will-be-decisive-in-iran-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/us-defense-chief-says-coming-days-will-be-decisive-in-iran-war\/","title":{"rendered":"US defense chief says coming days will be decisive in Iran war"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

7 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said that the U.S. military campaign against Iran will continue, with a warning that the coming days could be decisive in shaping the outcome of the conflict.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the Pentagon on March 31, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said U.S. airstrikes would go on until Iran agrees to end its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. The remarks come as fighting between the United States, Israel, and Iran enters its fifth week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hegseth said the U.S. strategy is focused on forcing Iran to negotiate, combining military action with diplomatic efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to have to do more militarily than we have to, but I didn\u2019t mean it flippantly when I said in the meantime we\u2019ll negotiate with bombs,\u201d he said. \u201cOur job is to ensure that we compel Iran to realize that this new regime, this regime in charge, is in a better place if they make a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that Iran\u2019s military capabilities have been significantly weakened. According to Hegseth, Iran\u2019s defense industrial base is \u201cnearly completely destroyed,\u201d and U.S. aircraft are operating freely over Iranian airspace, targeting mobile missile and drone launchers as they appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said the scale of the operation has been extensive. Since the campaign began on February 28, the U.S. has struck around 11,000 targets inside Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth meets with service members executing Operation Epic Fury while in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, on March 28, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force\/Tech. Sgt. Milton Hamilton)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In recent days, U.S. warplanes have increased the pace of attacks, focusing on mobile launch systems that are harder to detect and destroy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Troop Deployments Raise Pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. has also deployed thousands of additional troops to the region, including Marines and units from the 82nd Airborne Division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hegseth said the purpose of these deployments is partly to create uncertainty for Iran. \u201cThe point is to be unpredictable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur adversary right now thinks there are 15 ways we can come at them with boots on the ground, and guess what, there are,\u201d the U.S. Secretary of War Hegseth added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He did not rule out the possibility of ground operations, but said such options may not be used if negotiations succeed. General Caine also emphasized that the presence of U.S. forces is intended to increase pressure on Iran\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe range of military options that those forces can offer is extensive,\u201d he said, adding that Iran should take this into account at the diplomatic level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reports suggest the Pentagon is preparing contingency plans that could include limited ground operations, though officials have not confirmed whether such plans will be implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth meets with service members executing Operation Epic Fury while in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, on March 28, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force\/Tech. Sgt. Milton Hamilton)<\/sup><\/em>

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


Conflicting Signals on Negotiations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While U.S. officials insist that talks with Iran are ongoing, Tehran has denied that formal negotiations are taking place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hegseth said discussions are \u201cvery real\u201d and \u201cgaining strength,\u201d and confirmed he recently met with a team tasked by President Donald Trump to engage with Iran. This group includes Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said messages exchanged with the U.S. do not amount to negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The messages, he said, include threats and are being delivered indirectly through intermediaries. At the same time, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signaled some openness to ending the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe possess the necessary will to end this conflict, provided that essential conditions are met \u2014 especially the guarantees required to prevent repetition of the aggression,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran has called for assurances that future attacks will not take place, along with other demands, including compensation for war damage and changes to the U.S. military presence in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Iranian<\/a>
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, on June 12, 2025. (Image Credit: West Asia News Agency)<\/sup><\/em>

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Strikes Expand Across Iran<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the ground, the conflict continues to intensify. Iranian media reported that U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tuesday hit multiple targets, including military sites in central Iran. Explosions were reported in the city of Isfahan, with large columns of smoke seen rising from affected areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other reported targets include a pharmaceutical plant producing cancer drugs, a desalination facility on Qeshm Island, and a religious site in the northwest of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iranian officials said the desalination plant is now \u201ccompletely out of service,\u201d raising concerns about access to clean water in the area. The strikes have also caused damage to civilian infrastructure, though the full extent of casualties remains unclear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Regional Tensions Continue to Rise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conflict has spread beyond Iran, affecting countries across the Middle East. Iran has launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. positions in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Israel, emergency services reported that several people were injured by falling debris following missile interceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explosions have also been reported in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where drone interceptions caused injuries and property damage.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. sailors prepare to stage ordnance on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, on February 28, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes have continued, with officials warning that parts of southern Lebanon could remain under military control even after the war ends. The United Nations has raised concerns about the risk of further escalation, including the possibility of new areas becoming occupied territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Strait of Hormuz Tensions Impact Global Markets<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conflict has also disrupted global energy markets, particularly through tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran has threatened shipping in the area and imposed restrictions on vessels linked to the United States and Israel. While some shipments have resumed after limited understandings, traffic remains significantly reduced. The situation has pushed up global oil prices and increased concerns about supply disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Donald Trump said other countries should take more responsibility for protecting shipping routes. In a social media post, he warned that the United States may not continue to provide support to allies that do not contribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself. The U.S.A. won\u2019t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren\u2019t there for us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hegseth echoed the message, saying that a deal remains possible but depends on Iran\u2019s decisions. \u201cIf Iran is wise, they will cut a deal,\u201d he said. \u201cPresident Trump will make a deal. He is willing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"The<\/a>
The USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, on March 5, 2026. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Despite signs of possible diplomatic movement, both sides continue to prepare for further escalation. Iran has warned it will respond forcefully to any ground invasion, with senior officials saying U.S. troops would face severe retaliation if deployed inside the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the United States has continued to build up military assets in the region, including aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and missile defense systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With both military operations and diplomatic contacts ongoing, officials say the next few days could be critical. \u201cThe upcoming days will be decisive,\u201d Hegseth said. \u201cIran knows that, and there\u2019s almost nothing they can militarily do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said that the U.S. military campaign against Iran will continue, with a warning that the coming days could be decisive in shaping the outcome of the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[44,1,125],"tags":[16,677,75,6,30,26,32,356,5,702,7,128],"class_list":["post-34972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east","category-news","category-united-states","tag-airstrike","tag-centcom","tag-conflict","tag-defense","tag-iran","tag-israel","tag-lebanon","tag-middle-east","tag-military","tag-trump","tag-u-s","tag-war"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/US-Secretary-Hegseth-and-General-Caine.jpg?fit=690%2C370&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7jJWb-964","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34972"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34978,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34972\/revisions\/34978"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}