US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said the coming days in the conflict with Iran would be “decisive”, as he revealed he made an unannounced visit to American troops in the Middle East over the weekend and witnessed missile interceptions and strike preparations firsthand.
Speaking alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, Hegseth said he spent about half a day in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations on Saturday, declining to name the bases he visited for security reasons.
“The trip was an honour. I witnessed the best of America. I witnessed warriors,” Hegseth said, describing what he called a high-tempo operational environment as Operation Epic Fury entered its second month.
Missile intercept witnessed live
Hegseth described watching the real-time interception of two Iranian missiles from a command operations room, where a junior enlisted soldier directed senior officers through the response.
“I witnessed sheer competency. I watched a private first class confidently calling out an enemy missile trajectory to a room full of officers,” he said. “Two enemy missiles, successfully shot down.”
The account offered a rare glimpse into the ongoing threat environment, with US forces continuing to face Iranian drone and missile attacks despite Washington’s claims that Tehran’s capabilities have been degraded.
‘More bombs, sir’: Encounter with airman
Hegseth also said he spoke to Navy and Air Force pilots on the flight line preparing for strikes inside Iran and observed daily combat operations.
“I spoke to Navy and Air Force pilots… who every day both deliver bombs deep into Iran but also shoot down drones while defending their base,” he said.
He recounted an interaction with a junior female airman during sunset on the tarmac.
“She simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face and said, ‘More bombs, sir, and bigger bombs,’” Hegseth said. “We will happily oblige her.”
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‘Different spirit’ from Iraq, Afghanistan
Hegseth, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, contrasted the morale he witnessed with that of those conflicts.
“I witnessed urgency to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success — not looking at the next rotation,” he said.
He also cited intelligence assessments suggesting US strikes were affecting Iranian military morale.
“Our strikes are damaging the morale of the Iranian military, leading to widespread desertions, key personnel shortages and causing frustration among senior leaders,” Hegseth said.
‘Decisive days ahead’
Hegseth said the next few days in the conflict would be critical.
“We have more and more options, and they have less… in only one month we set the terms. The upcoming days will be decisive,” he said. “Iran knows that, and there’s almost nothing they can militarily do about it.”
US urges allies to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Hegseth also said other countries must step up to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively shut to oil tanker traffic amid the conflict.
“The world ought to be prepared to stand up. It’s not just the United States Navy,” he said, adding that the US had done the “lion’s share” of the work in reducing the threat from Iran.
President Donald Trump earlier urged countries that did not participate in US-Israeli strikes on Iran to help reopen the waterway and “just TAKE it”, singling out Britain and France in posts on Truth Social.
Trump later told CBS News he was not yet ready to abandon US efforts to reopen the strait but expected other nations to step in.
“At some point, I will, not quite yet. But countries have to come in and take care of it,” Trump said.
Russia, China involvement
Hegseth also addressed reports of foreign assistance to Iran, including claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Russia had supplied drones and intelligence to Tehran.
“As far as Russia and China, we know exactly what they’re doing,” Hegseth said. “Where necessary, we’re addressing it, we’re mitigating it or we’re confronting it head on,” he added, without providing further details.
(With inputs from agencies)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine hold a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. (REUTERS pic) 
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