WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that the coming days will be “decisive” in the ongoing conflict with Iran, cautioning that military action could intensify if no agreement is reached.
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His remarks come as US President Donald Trump sharply criticised key allies, including the United Kingdom and France, for their limited support in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran. In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged countries facing fuel shortages due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz to rely on American energy supplies and “fight for themselves.”
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran is willing to end the war but only if firm guarantees are provided to prevent future aggression. Speaking during a call with Antonio Costa, he stressed that Iran seeks a durable resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that messages have been exchanged with Washington, either directly or through intermediaries, but denied that formal negotiations are under way.
On the battlefield, hostilities continued to escalate. Iranian missile strikes injured at least nine people in Tel Aviv, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they could target major US-linked companies operating in the region, including Microsoft, Google, Apple and Boeing.
Israel, for its part, said it had struck 20 weapons manufacturing and research sites inside Iran. Iranian officials countered that civilian infrastructure, including pharmaceutical facilities and a desalination plant on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, had been hit.
The conflict has also expanded across the Gulf region. Iran claimed it targeted a covert site in the UAE allegedly housing US personnel, while explosions were reported in Riyadh amid ongoing missile and drone attacks.
Separately, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed that Brigadier General Jamshid Eshaghi was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike, along with members of his family.
As both sides exchange threats and limited diplomatic signals, the war—now in its fifth week—continues to strain global energy markets and heighten fears of a broader regional escalation.
