US defense chief leaves Iran strike option open

independent.co.uk

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday the Trump administration is not ruling out military strikes against Iran, citing pressure from new sanctions. Hegseth told reporters the U.S. is "by no means" foreclosing kinetic options in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran, asserting Tehran cannot withstand current economic pressure. His remarks follow Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's announcement of an "economic D-Day" with fresh sanctions, including unspecified financial institutions targeted by week's end. Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh responded that Iran is fully prepared and the U.S. cannot sever its financial arteries, underscoring heightened tensions between the two nations.


With a significance score of 4.1, this news ranks in the top 4.7% of today's 33063 analyzed articles.

Get summaries of news with significance over 5.5 (usually ~10 stories per week). Read by 10,000+ subscribers: