Breaking: Today will be our most intense assault yet on Iran – U.S.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The United States has warned that its military campaign against Iran is entering its most intense phase yet, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declaring that Washington’s resolve in the conflict remains “endless” as the war escalates.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, Hegseth said the latest wave of operations under Operation Epic Fury would mark the most aggressive round of strikes since the war began, targeting Iran’s military infrastructure and strategic capabilities.

“Today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran,” Hegseth said. “The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence more refined and better than ever.”

According to him, the offensive remains focused on destroying Iran’s missile stockpiles, launch systems and defence industrial base, as well as crippling the country’s naval forces and preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Hegseth also insisted that the United States and Israel were achieving decisive results on the battlefield, claiming the campaign was degrading Iran’s military strength at a rapid pace.

“We are crushing the enemy in an unrelenting way,” he said. “We do so on our timeline and at our choosing.”

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, told reporters that US-led strikes had significantly reduced Iran’s ability to retaliate.

Caine said ballistic missile attacks from Iran had dropped by 90 per cent since the start of the operation, while one-way attack drone launches had declined by 83 per cent.

Her said the military campaign has also targeted Iranian naval capabilities, with more than 50 naval vessels struck since hostilities began.

The US military, he added, had concentrated its attacks on key “centres of gravity” within Iran’s military and industrial infrastructure to prevent the country from producing drones and other advanced weapons.

Despite the intensifying assault, Hegseth stressed that the duration and ultimate objectives of the war would be determined by the US president, Donald Trump.

“Our will is endless, but ultimately the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives,” he said.

He noted that Trump, as the elected leader, would decide how long the campaign should continue.

Addressing concerns from Americans opposed to the war and criticism about Israel’s influence over the conflict, Hegseth maintained that Washington was pursuing its own strategic goals.

“Israel has been a strong partner, but we are focused on our objectives,” he said, adding that “The president is leading and determining where we want to go. We are not being pulled in any direction.”

During the briefing, Hegseth also issued a warning to Iran’s leadership, particularly amid reports that the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, may have been injured.

While declining to confirm the reports, he cautioned that Tehran should heed Washington’s demand to abandon any nuclear weapons ambitions.

“Khamenei would be wise to listen to the president’s message not to pursue nuclear weapons,” he said.

The remarks came as US officials claimed Iran’s forces were becoming increasingly weakened by the sustained air campaign, with Hegseth asserting that Tehran was “badly losing” and increasingly isolated in the conflict.

“Iran stands alone,” he said. “And they are badly losing.”