US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has warned of the US administration’s intention to confront Iran militarily in the backdrop of a massive naval armada by the US that remains stationed in the Gulf.
On Thursday, Hegseth said American armed forces are fully prepared and awaiting orders by President Donald Trump to strike Iran, should it pursue its ambitions to ramp-up its nuclear weapons programme, a charge denied by Tehran.
“We will be prepared to deliver whatever this President expects of the Defence Department,” Hegseth said, and referred to the US military action in Venezuela as a clear demonstration of American capability and resolve.
“That sends a message to every capital around the world that when President Trump speaks, he means business,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trump has described the deployed naval armada as “massive and beautiful”, but said he kept the door open for diplomacy on two key demands: Iran abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and cease the killing of protesters.
“We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing towards Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them,” Trump had said earlier.
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The armada is led by the aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, and includes several other vessels such as destroyers, frigates, and nuclear-powered submarines. It has been tracked transiting the Suez Canal, heading towards the Gulf, and operating near the Strait of Hormuz, with surveillance aircraft also active in the region, according to ship and flight tracking data.
Reports citing sources familiar with the developments indicate that the US military is actively positioned in the region as Trump considers strikes on Iranian military and missile facilities, with the potential aim of reigniting anti-government protests.
In Senate testimony this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that US armed forces could strike Iran “pre-emptively” if a threat to American or allied troops is perceived.
He added that Iran is “weaker than it has ever been” but acknowledged that any conflict with the regime – unlike the situation in Venezuela – would be more complex and bloody.
In response, the Iranian government has declared that its forces stand ready to strike US bases and Israel.
The country’s deputy foreign minister reiterated that Tehran is “200 per cent ready to defend itself” and warned that any US attack would receive an “appropriate response, not a proportionate one”, potentially targeting American bases in the region.
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