The United States on March 10 issued a stark warning to Iran, signaling a major escalation in the ongoing conflict as it prepared for what it described as the most intense day of strikes so far.
Speaking to reporters, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American forces would launch a wave of heavy attacks on Iranian targets, deploying a larger number of aircraft and strike missions than on previous days.
“Today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran — the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence is more refined and better than ever,” Hegseth said, according to the BBC.
US claims success in weakening Iran’s military
Hegseth said US operations had significantly degraded Iran’s military capabilities, claiming the impact of the campaign was already visible on the battlefield.
According to him, Iran fired the lowest number of missiles in the past 24 hours, which he attributed to sustained American strikes on Iranian military assets.
Echoing the position of US President Donald Trump, Hegseth suggested that the United States was nearing a decisive outcome in the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
“We’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force,” he said during the press briefing. “We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.”
US accuses Iran of using civilian sites for missile launches
The defense secretary also accused Iran of launching missiles from civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, alleging that the tactic was aimed at shielding military operations while targeting civilians.
“They fire missiles from schools and hospitals deliberately, targeting innocents because they know their military is being systematically degraded and annihilated,” Hegseth said.
He argued that Iran had been pushed to the margins of the conflict and was increasingly acting out of desperation.
Washington reiterates war objectives
Reaffirming Washington’s war aims, Hegseth said the United States remained committed to dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and preventing the country from developing nuclear weapons.
He listed the destruction of Iran’s naval forces, nuclear facilities, missile stockpiles and launch systems, along with key defense industrial infrastructure, as core objectives of the ongoing campaign.
The United States, he said, was determined to ensure that Iran is permanently denied the ability to acquire nuclear weapons.
