Hegseth refuses to rule out US strikes on Iran amid sanctions

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that the Trump administration's economic pressure on Iran is hurting the regime "the most right now" but did not rule out the U.S. military resuming airstrikes if necessary.

"If we need to use kinetic strikes, we'll use them. If Iran is foolish enough to overplay their hand or mess with the American military, we'll do what we need to do," Hegseth told reporters in Oshkosh, Wis., as part of the Pentagon's Arsenal of Freedom tour. "But economic pressure hurts them the most right now."