Watch Live: Pete Hegseth says “upcoming days will be decisive” in war against Iran

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, Joint Chiefs Chairman, declared at a news conference on Tuesday “the upcoming days will be decisive” in the war with Iran. 

“Iran knows that, and there’s almost nothing they can militarily do about it,” Hegseth claimed. 

The Defense Secretary said that “American firepower is only increasing,” while saying Iran’s is “decreasing.”

“Just one month in — only one month — we set the terms,” Hegseth said. 

President Trump told CBS News’ Weijia Jiang Tuesday morning that he is not ready “quite yet” to abandon a bid to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Trump reiterated his frustration that other countries had not sent military assets to join the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, saying “countries have to come in and take care of it.”

Hegseth said “if Iran is wise, it will cut a deal.” He said the president is willing to make a deal, and the terms of the deal are known to the Iranians. If not, Hegseth said the U.S. “will continue with even more intensity.”

Caine said “our joint force continues to focus on our military objectives as we systematically continue to degrade and destroy Iran’s ability to project power and threaten stability beyond its borders.”

Caine reiterated that the U.S. remains focused on destroying Iran’s ballistic missile and Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities, along with the programs’ supply chains. 

Hegseth kicked off the briefing by describing a visit over the weekend with troops fighting in Operation Epic Fury, calling the trip “an honor.”

The briefing came hours after an Iranian drone hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker off Dubai, an attack on energy targets as the average gas price in the U.S. climbed over $4 a gallon. 

“The Kuwaiti giant crude oil tanker was subjected to a direct and malicious Iranian attack while in the anchorage area of Dubai Port in the UAE,” official news agency KUNA reported, citing Kuwait’s state-owned oil company. The Kuwaiti Very Large Crude Oil Carrier (VLCC) Al-Salmi was targeted, according to state media.

In a post on social media early Tuesday, Mr. Trump called on other countries, such as the United Kingdom, to “go get your own oil” by taking control of the Strait of Hormuz. 

“I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Mr. Trump wrote. 

Gas prices in the U.S. continued to climb this week, with the average price for a gallon topping $4 a gallon for the first time since August 2022. Gas prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran on February 28, jumping more than a dollar per gallon over the last month, data from the AAA showed. CBS News reached out to the White House for comment on the gas prices. 

Mr. Trump on Monday renewed his calls to attack Iranian civilian energy and water infrastructure if no deal is reached to end the war. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command said early Tuesday that Commander Adm. Brad Cooper met with Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in Israel on Sunday and Monday. 

“The two leaders discussed progress made during ongoing operations to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power in meaningful ways outside its borders,” the CENTCOM statement said. “They also reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Israel defense partnership and emphasized the importance of continued coordination. Prior to departing the region, Cooper visited with U.S. troops deployed to multiple locations in support of Operation Epic Fury.”