Washington/Tehran – The conflict in the Middle East is poised to enter its most violent phase yet, with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warning that Tuesday will be the “most intense day of strikes” inside Iran. The declaration comes as Tehran launched fresh drone attacks toward Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and President Donald Trump sent contradictory signals about the war’s potential duration.
The ‘Most Intense Day’
Hegseth’s stark warning signals a major escalation in the US-Israeli air campaign against Iran, which has already seen the assassination of the country’s Supreme Leader and thousands of strikes on military and nuclear infrastructure.
The statement was issued as Iranian drones targeted neighboring Gulf states once again.
Fresh Attacks on the Gulf
Early Tuesday, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced it had destroyed drones over the kingdom’s oil-rich eastern region. Simultaneously, Kuwait’s National Guard reported shooting down several drones in the country’s northern and southern areas.
These attacks are part of Iran’s ongoing retaliation campaign for the US-Israeli strikes that began on February 28.
Trump’s Mixed Messages
The military escalation is unfolding against a backdrop of confusing signals from the White House. Late Monday, President Trump reportedly told Republican lawmakers that the war was likely to be a “short excursion,” suggesting a limited timeline.
However, just hours later, Trump took to social media with a stark threat, warning that the US would dramatically increase attacks if Iran attempted to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
‘Iran Will Determine When the War Ends’
In an apparent direct response to the US president’s remarks, a spokesperson for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Ali Mohammad Naini, issued a defiant statement carried by Iranian state media.
“Iran will determine when the war ends,” Naini declared, underscoring Tehran’s resolve to continue the fight on its own terms despite the intense bombardment.
The conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran are fueling extreme uncertainty in global markets, which have already been roiled by oil price spikes and supply disruptions.
