Iran will face 'largest volume of strikes since day one': Pete Hegseth

The United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Tehran at a press conference on Monday, claiming that Iran would be bombed harder than it had ever been, and even more the day after. Hegseth said that the instructions came from President Donald Trump, who recently posted an expletive-laden social media post threatening to destroy crucial Iranian infrastructure if they did not open the Strait of Hormuz.

"Per the President's direction, today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one of this operation. Tomorrow, even more than today," Hegseth said. "Iran has a choice. Choose wisely because this president does not play around. You can ask Soleimani, you can ask Maduro, you can ask Khamenei," he added. Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of Operation Epic Fury, on February 28.

Hegseth's comments follow President Trump's Truth Social post on Easter Sunday, which took many by surprise. "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it," he wrote. "Open the F***** Strait, you crazy b*******, or you’ll be living in Hell." Talking to reporters on Monday, President Trump said that Iran could be taken out in a single day. In another Truth Social post, Trump implied that Iran had until "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time," to open the Strait of Hormuz or face heavy U.S. attacks.

When asked about his threats of attacking Iran's infrastructure, a move largely deemed against international law, President Trump said, "We're giving them until tomorrow at 8 o'clock. And after that, they're gonna have no bridges, no power plants. Stone ages, yeah. Stone ages." As per numerous reports, Iran has, however, refused to negotiate on U.S. terms, demanding a guarantee of protection from further attacks if it were to agree to a deal.

President Trump has said that ongoing negotiations have been positive and he hopes for an end to the conflict soon. He, however, stuck to his warning that if they fail to agree, the U.S. will go through with the targeting of Iran's energy infrastructure and bridges. Speaking at a press conference after an Easter event on Monday, Trump said, "Now we'll see what happens. I can tell you they're negotiating, we think, in good faith...but, we're giving them till tomorrow, 8 o'clock, Eastern Time, and after that they're gonna have no bridges, they're gonna have no power plants."