Watch Live: Pete Hegseth, Dan Caine hold news briefing as Iran launches new attacks

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine are holding a news briefing Tuesday morning as airstrikes continued overnight in the Middle East.

“Our generation understands this fight,” Hegseth said at the opening of the briefing. “For 47 years, these barbaric savages in the Iranian regime have murdered our brothers in arms, my guys, your guys, our guys, through their terrorist proxies and cowardly attacks, now they race toward a nuclear bomb to hold the world hostage.”

Hegseth insisted that Iranian leaders are “desperate, scrambling,” and that the U.S. and its allies are “winning.” 

On Tuesday, Iran launched new attacks at Gulf Arab countries, while Israeli strikes also hit southern and eastern Lebanon overnight. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told PBS News on Monday that the country is prepared to continue attacking Israel “with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes.”

The U.S. military said it struck more than 3,000 Iranian targets in the first week of operations. Seven American service members have died in the war. 

President Trump told CBS News on Monday that he believes the “war is very complete, pretty much,” adding that “there’s nothing left in a military sense.” 

But despite Mr. Trump’s messaging, the Defense Department posted a video on social media with the caption “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.” 

In an interview with 60 Minutes that aired Sunday, Hegseth said Mr. Trump’s comments that the U.S. will only accept unconditional surrender means “we’re fightin’ to win. It means we set the terms.” 

“This is war. This is conflict. This is bringing your enemy to their knees. Now, whether they will have a ceremony in Tehran Square and surrender, that’s up to them,” Hegseth said. 

Mr. Trump also floated the possibility of “taking over” the Strait of Hormuz if Iran blocks the waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. Oil prices swung wildly on Monday amid the uncertainty in the Middle East, rising at one point to $119 a barrel, the highest price since 2022 amid the Russia-Ukraine war.