Pressed by Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar of California on the ceasefire with Iran, Protection Secretary Hegseth insisted Tuesday that the truce stays “in impact.”
“As you already know, for essentially the most half a ceasefire means the hearth is ceasing, and we all know that has occurred whereas negotiations happen, and there are many completely different discussions with our negotiating crew which can be taking place,” Hegseth mentioned at a congressional listening to. “So, it is a very dynamic state of affairs, the place a negotiated settlement might be the result right here the place Iran doesn’t have nuclear capabilities.”
On the temporary Challenge Freedom operation, which, for a day, noticed U.S. warships and planes information a pair industrial vessels by the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth mentioned “it was paused and it is an possibility we may all the time recommence, ought to the commander in chief need us to.”
“The idea of your complete case is to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon, and if that must be completed kinetically and militarily, the Division of Conflict is locked and loaded and prepared to try this,” he mentioned.
Hegseth additionally pushed again on the suggestion that U.S. munitions are depleted, saying “that is not true.”
“Finally we’ve got all of the munitions wanted to execute what we have to execute, and we will be certain that we supercharge that going into the long run,” he mentioned.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, who was additionally testifying earlier than the committee Tuesday, mentioned the U.S. has “adequate munitions for what we’re tasked to do proper now.”
However he added that he “will all the time need extra.”
