Pete Hegseth berated the media over what he called ‘fake headlines’ about the war with Iran while dodging questions about how Donald Trump plans to stop Tehran from attacking the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth spent his Friday morning briefing lecturing the press about unfavorable headlines while refusing to answer questions about the military’s plan to curb the Islamic regime’s efforts to deepen the global oil crisis.
‘Some in the press just can’t stop. Allow me to make a few suggestions. People look at the TV and they see banners, headlines — I used to be in that business, I know everything is written intentionally,’ said the former Fox News star.
‘For example, a banner — “Mideast War Intensifies.” What should the banner read instead? How about, “Iran increasingly desperate,” because they are. Or more fake news from CNN. The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.’
Hegseth claimed the US military would hit Iran today with the ‘heaviest’ firepower since the start of the war. He said the US maintains aerial and naval superiority over the Islamic regime.
When asked by the Daily Mail why the US military cannot protect the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, from Iranian attacks, Hegseth dodged the question.
‘We planned for it. We recognize it. Um, because ultimately, we want to do it sequentially in a way that makes the most sense for what we want to achieve,’ Hegseth said.
Hegseth then pivoted to criticizing the press again: ‘It’s like this whole idea of the war widening. That’s what the press wants to make it look like it’s widening and chaos ensuing. No, we’re actually closing in on, grabbing hold of and controlling what objectives we want to achieve.’
Hegseth spent his Friday morning briefing lecturing the press about unfavorable headlines while refusing to answer questions about the military’s plan to curb the Islamic regime’s efforts to deepen the global oil crisis
When asked by the Daily Mail why the US military cannot protect the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical oil passageways on the globe, from Iranian attacks, Hegseth dodged the question
Shipping in the Gulf and along the narrow strait, which carries around a fifth of the world’s oil, has come to a near-standstill because of Iranian attacks
Hegseth claimed the US military would hit Iran today with the ‘heaviest’ firepower since the start of the war
Hegseth said Iran is ‘exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz, something we’re dealing with. We have been dealing with it. Don’t need to worry about.’
The unprecedented turmoil in oil markets caused by Trump’s war is reportedly affecting 7.5 per cent of global supply and exports, according to experts.
Members of the International Energy Agency released 400 million barrels from emergency reserves on Wednesday to counterbalance the pricing chaos.
Shipping in the Gulf and along the narrow strait, which carries around a fifth of the world’s oil, has come to a near-standstill. Gas prices have rocketed to an average of $3.6 per gallon from $2.9 before the war began, as oil prices hit levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to nearly $100 a barrel as of Friday morning.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have said that if attacks on Iran continued, they would not allow ‘one liter of oil’ to be shipped from the Middle East to the US, Israel or their partners.
Iranian explosive suicide boats struck two fuel tankers in the strait, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member on Wednesday. Four other vessels in the Gulf waters were also hit by Iranian projectiles.
The US has targeted Iran’s defense companies, according to Hegseth, who claimed ‘every component’ of the regime’s missile production has been ‘functionally destroyed.’
General Caine noted that Iran still has the capability of harming ‘friendly forces and commercial shipping’ in the Gulf strait.
Four crew members have been confirmed dead after an American refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq on Thursday, the US military has said.
In a post on X on Friday morning, the US Central Command (Centcom) said that ‘four of the six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased.’
A KC-135 refueling plane had reportedly crashed in ‘friendly airspace’, while a second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.
Hegseth referred to the troops who lost their lives as American ‘heroes’ and ‘warriors’.
General Caine said the crash was not the result of hostile fire from Iran’s military or local militias.
Iranian explosive suicide boats struck two fuel tankers in the strait, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member on Wednesday
Trump has previously claimed that the Iranian regime is on the verge of collapse
The identities of those killed will be withheld for 24 hours until next of kin can be notified, Centcom said, adding that rescue efforts are ongoing as two crew members remain missing.
A major blaze also broke out at a French air base in Erbil, Iraq, following a drone attack.
A helicopter was apparently hit and at least six French soldiers were injured. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed early this morning that one had died.
‘Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,’ he said. ‘The French soldiers there have no connection to war or conflict. They are simply military advisers legally present in Iraq.’
A preliminary military investigation has determined that the United States was responsible for a missile strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed 175 people, most of them children.
Trump had previously blamed the Iranian regime for bombing a school filled with young girls with an American Tomahawk missile on February 28 during the first day of Operation Epic Fury.
The ongoing investigation determined that US forces made the mistake while launching strikes on a nearby Iranian military base, which the school building was once part of.
Officers at US Central Command decided to strike the school using outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency, one of the premier US intelligence agencies.
The deadly operation on Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school, which was full of children, is considered one of the most devastating US military errors in decades.
