As Iran war drags on, US ups rhetoric, claims biggest assault on Tehran since start of war

As the Iran war drags on and pressure mounts on US President Donald Trump, Washington has sharply escalated its rhetoric, claiming that American forces will launch the biggest assault on Tehran since the start of the conflict on February 28.

Addressing a Pentagon briefing, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said that President Trump is firmly “holding the cards” and will determine the pace of the war.

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“Today will be the highest volume of US strikes on Iran yet … President Trump holds the cards. He will determine the pace, tempo and timing of this conflict. his hand firmly on the wheel as well as on the throttle…,” he stated.

Hegseth also sought to dismiss concerns over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to continue the blockade amid the conflict in the Middle East.

“As the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Strait of Hormuz – something we’re dealing with; we have been dealing with it. Don’t need to worry about it.”

“The only thing prohibiting transit in the strait right now is Iran shooting at shipping,” the US Defence Secretary added.

Referring to Khamenei’s threat to use the Hormuz blockade as leverage, Hegseth said that the US has a plan for every action taken by Iran.

“We’ve heard them talk about taking various measures, and we’re planning for all of them. We have a plan for every option here,” he stated.

Hegseth claims ‘Iran Supreme leader wounded, likely disfigured.’

Hegseth also claimed that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “wounded and likely disfigured” in the February 28 strikes on the country that also killed his father and former Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He said that the new Iranian regime is “desperate and hiding” amid the ongoing conflict. Speaking alongside the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, Hegseth stated that the new leadership was in “no better shape”.

“Iran’s leadership is in no better shape — desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground, cowering. That’s what rats do. We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” Hegseth said.

He claimed that the Iranian Supreme Leader gave a weak written statement with no audio or video, as he is “injured and scared.”

“He put out a statement yesterday, a weak one actually, but there was no voice, and there was no video… Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders; why a written statement? I think you know why. His father is dead. He’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run and he lacks legitimacy. It’s a mess for them,” he added.