US ready to escalate, Hegseth threatens strikes on Iranian facilities
JAKARTA – US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the American military is ready to carry out President Donald Trump’s orders to strike several key Iranian facilities on Wednesday local time.
As reported by Reuters, the remarks reinforced signals of escalating tensions following months of growing friction between Washington and Tehran.
Hegseth made the comments after receiving briefings from commanders at the US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Florida.
According to Hegseth, Iran had been given an opportunity to reach an agreement through diplomatic channels but failed to take advantage of it.
“We will hit them hard on our terms, with targets that improve the environment for us to operate in and degrade the capabilities Iran seeks to possess,” Hegseth told reporters.
The comments followed statements by President Donald Trump that the United States would launch further attacks against Iran if a peace agreement is not reached.
The White House believes military pressure is necessary to force Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Tensions between the two countries have intensified following a series of incidents involving military assets and strategic infrastructure across the Middle East.
The conflict has also heightened concerns in global markets over energy security, given Iran’s status as one of the region’s major oil producers.
Hegseth argued that Iran has shown little seriousness in negotiations and has instead continued actions that Washington views as provocative.
“As President Trump said, they keep doing ‘tap, tap, tap’,” Hegseth said.
“You can see when someone is trying to ‘tap, tap, tap’ on a deal, while what actually happens is that American bombs are being dropped on key facilities in Iran,” he added.
He also accused Tehran of deliberately manipulating the diplomatic process.
“If we need to negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs, and we are very good at that,” Hegseth said.
Several analysts said the remarks indicate a shift in Washington’s approach, with greater reliance on military pressure to achieve diplomatic objectives.
Such a strategy could raise the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East unless matched by de-escalation efforts from both sides.
Meanwhile, Iran has repeatedly insisted that it will not negotiate under military threats. Tehran has also said it would respond to any attack targeting its territory or strategic facilities.
Rising US-Iran tensions have become a key concern for global investors. Oil prices have fluctuated sharply in recent weeks amid fears of disruptions to Middle Eastern energy supplies.
Investors are also closely monitoring the potential impact on inflation and interest rate policy prospects in major economies. (DH/ZH)
