War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said the U.S. military is "locked and loaded" and prepared to escalate against Iran if negotiations fail.
"We are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation, and on your energy industry," Hegseth said during his weekly press conference at the Pentagon, where Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Admiral Bradley Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), also spoke.
"We'd rather not have to do it, but we're ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button," Hegseth told reporters, with his comments airing live on Newsmax and Newsmax2.
Hegseth issued a direct warning to Iran's military leadership, saying the imbalance in capabilities is decisive.
"Our capabilities are not the same," he said. "Remember, this is not a fair fight. We know what military assets you are moving and where you are moving them to."
He said Iran's forces are weakened and unable to rebuild.
"You are digging out of bombed-out and devastated facilities," Hegseth said. "You are digging out your remaining launchers and missiles with no ability to replace them. You have no defense industry, no ability to replenish your offensive or defensive capabilities. You only have what you have."
By contrast, he said U.S. forces are strengthening.
"You can dig out for now, but you can't reconstitute. But we can," he said. "We are reloading with more power than ever before and better intelligence, even more importantly, better intelligence than ever before."
Hegseth described the current strategy as a sustained naval blockade, warning Iran against claims that it controls the Strait of Hormuz.
"You like to say publicly [to] Iran, that you control the Strait of Hormuz, but you don't have a navy or real domain awareness. You can't control anything," he said. "Threatening to shoot missiles and drones at ships, that is not control. That's piracy. That's terrorism."
He emphasized U.S. military dominance in the region.
"The United States Navy controls the traffic going in and out of the strait, because we have real assets and real capabilities," Hegseth said. "We're using 10% of the world's most powerful navy, and you have 0% of your navy. That's real control."
Hegseth said the blockade could continue indefinitely but warned of escalation if Iran refuses a deal.
"We can do this all day," he said. "But if Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy."
He noted the broader pressure campaign includes economic measures alongside military readiness.
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and our friends over at Treasury are launching Operation Economic Fury as well, maximizing economic pressure," he said.
Bessent told reporters at a White House briefing on Wednesday that the U.S. plans to ramp up economic sanctions and other measures on Iran, calling the new moves the "financial equivalent" of a bombing campaign.
Hegseth stressed the U.S. can rapidly shift back into combat operations if ordered.
"The world watched as the U.S. military moved seamlessly from major combat operations to a world-class blockade," he said. "We can make that transition again very quickly and even more powerfully than ever at the direction of President [Donald] Trump."
He reiterated the administration's bottom line.
"The War Department will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon, never," Hegseth said.
While emphasizing a preference for diplomacy, he made clear the alternative remains on the table.
"We'd prefer to do it the nice way through a deal ... or we can do it the hard way," Hegseth said.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.