Today will be the most intense day of US strikes against Iran, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing on Thursday.
"Today will be the largest strike package yet, just like yesterday was," Hegseth said, emphasizing the US's destruction of Iran's air defenses, missile and drone production facilities, and Iran's navy.
"Our capabilities continue to build, Iran's continue to degrade," Hegseth added.
Despite Hegseth's claims, US General Dan Caine did note that Iran still maintained "some capability" of launching strikes across the Gulf during the briefing.
European countries should be thankful to Trump, Hegseth says
Hegseth also said that the US's "ungrateful allies in Europe" should be thankful to US President Donald Trump for attacking Iran.
Iran "refusing to abandon its nuclear ambitions is not just a regional problem," Hegseth said, adding that the countries should thank Trump for fighting "the terror state from holding the world hostage with missiles while building or attempting to build a nuclear bomb."