Pete Hegseth echoes Trump's stance, says US will hit Iran 'hard'
Florida, June 11
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday warned that the United States would "hit Iran hard" if it fails to reach a deal, echoing President Donald Trump's stance.
He also said that US Central Command (US CENTCOM) would be "busy" as Trump has directed a hard stance against Iran, adding that Tehran still has an opportunity to reach a "good" or "great" deal but has so far failed to meet commitments.
Speaking to the reporters outside of US CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said, "Central Command will be busy tonight because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard, and we will be, because Iran has a chance to make a good deal, a great deal, to codify what they said they've been willing to do and they haven't been willing to do it."
"As President Trump said, they've been tap, tap, tapping, you can see when someone's trying to tap, tap, tap on a deal. Instead, they're going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America," he further said.
Earlier, Trump said that the United States would resume attacks on Iran, as he voiced frustration over Tehran's delays in concluding the deal with Washington.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said, "We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard."
He suggested that Iran's downing of a US Apache helicopter provided grounds for renewed military action. "Based on the helicopter, I guess we have the right to do that," he told reporters.
Trump said the US had already launched strikes and would continue military operations against Iran. "We hit them hard yesterday. We're going to hit them again hard today, in case you miss it, in case you don't turn on your television set, and we'll see what happens with the deal," he said.
At the same time, Trump insisted that a deal with Iran had already been negotiated and only awaited Tehran's approval. "All they have to do is they have to start signing a paper. It's fully negotiated," he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So much for diplomacy. 🎭 Trump and Hegseth are treating this like a game. Iran may not be perfect, but this kind of unilateral aggression sets a bad precedent. India has always advocated dialogue. Why can't the US sit down and talk properly? 😤
"Tap, tap, tap bombs dropping" — what kind of language is this from a Defence Secretary? 😳 This is reckless sabre-rattling. India should be careful, because any instability in the Gulf directly affects our energy security and our diaspora there. This is not just a US-Iran issue.
I'm no fan of Iran's policies, but this sounds like a manufactured crisis to distract from domestic issues. The deal claim is fishy — "fully negotiated" yet Iran hasn't signed? Hmm. India should maintain strategic autonomy and not get dragged into another US war in the Middle East.
Unbelievable. 🛑 As someone who watches geopolitics closely, this "hitting them hard" line is terrifying. If the US wants a deal, threatening to bomb is counterproductive. India has learned that from Kashmir and other disputes — you don't solve problems with bombs, you solve them with patience.
I have a simple question: What about the civilians? 🤔 These bombings always hurt ordinary people, not just the regime. India's stand on non-violence (ahimsa) feels more relevant than ever. The US should learn from history — Iraq, Afghanistan... bombing didn't bring peace there either.
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