STORY: :: Hegseth says Monday will see 'the largest volume of strikes' against Iran since the first day of the war
:: April 6, 2026
:: Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary
"Per the president's direction, today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one of this operation. Tomorrow, even more than today. And then Iran has a choice. Choose wisely, because this president does not play around. You can ask Soleimani. You can ask Maduro. You can ask Khamenei. // And to our adversaries watching from Tehran, let this be a clear message. The United States military will go anywhere, at any time, to protect our own and complete the mission. We execute with precision. We control the skies. You see, we flew for seven hours in daylight over Iran to get the first pilot, and we flew seven hours in the middle of the night to get the second. And Iran did nothing about it."
Hegseth made the warning in the White House Briefing Room where President Donald Trump discussed the Iran rescue mission and the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday deadline.
Trump has warned U.S. forces will unleash broad attacks on Iranian infrastructure if his Tuesday night deadline for a deal is not met.
Trump's senior aides have been negotiating with Iran indirectly through Pakistan, attempting to get a deal in which Iran will forswear nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the oil transit waterway. Iran said it wanted a permanent end to the war, not just a temporary ceasefire.
