Pentagon Chief Warns of 'Most Intense' US Strikes on Iran, Blames Civilian Deaths on Tehran
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a stark warning that Tuesday would mark the "most intense" day of American military strikes against Iran to date. Speaking at a press conference alongside General Dan Caine, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Hegseth placed blame for civilian casualties squarely on Iran, alleging its forces are deliberately launching missiles from schools and hospitals.
Allegations of Iranian Tactics and Civilian Casualties
Hegseth described Iran's leadership as "desperate and scrambling like the terrorist cowards they are," accusing them of embedding military operations within civilian infrastructure to shield from US attacks. "Iran stands alone, and they are badly losing," he asserted during the briefing at Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Florida.
When questioned about a specific incident where a US strike killed over 165 people at the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school—most of them children aged seven to twelve—Hegseth pivoted to condemn Iran's tactics. He claimed Iran moves rocket launches "into civilian neighborhoods, near schools, near hospitals, to try to prevent our ability to strike."
"That's how terrorist regimes fight. They target civilians. We do not," Hegseth stated, insisting no nation in history has taken more precautions to avoid civilian deaths, though he acknowledged investigations "take time." A preliminary US assessment found the United States was "likely" responsible for the school strike, possibly due to outdated intelligence misidentifying the site.
Military Operations and Strategic Objectives
General Caine provided detailed updates on US military actions, revealing that Central Command has struck more than 5,000 targets, destroyed over 50 Iranian naval vessels, and hit several drone factories to degrade Iran's autonomous weapons capability. He noted US forces have used dozens of 2,000lb GPS-guided penetrating weapons on deeply buried missile launchers.
Caine reported that ballistic missile attacks from Iran have continued to diminish, with US forces and allies intercepting one-way attack drones using fighters and attack helicopters. Hegseth added that Iran's proxies—including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas—have been "either broken, ineffective or on the sidelines."
Political Context and Future Implications
Hegseth declined to comment on reports that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been wounded, saying only it "would be wise" for Iranian leadership to renounce nuclear weapons. Khamenei was elevated after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in the opening strikes of the campaign.
Emphatically, Hegseth stated this conflict would not become another open-ended "forever war," declaring, "This is not 2003. This is not endless nation-building. Our generation of soldier will not let that happen again." He explained the aftermath would serve "America's interests," preventing a "nuclear blackmail scenario."
Regarding political direction, Hegseth said former President Donald Trump "gets to determine the end state" and "our will is endless." Ahead of the press conference, Trump told Fox News he heard Iran wanted to talk and might negotiate, depending on terms. However, days earlier, he rejected any off-ramp, posting on Truth Social that there would be "no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER."
The press conference underscored the escalating tensions in the Middle East, with the Pentagon framing its actions as necessary to counter Iranian aggression while grappling with the tragic consequences of civilian deaths in conflict zones.
