As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 11th day, U.S. officials signaled an escalation in military operations, President Donald Trump warned Tehran against setting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and senior Iranian leaders issued fresh threats against the U.S.
Hegseth promises ‘most intense day’ of U.S. strikes, gives update on targets hit
At a briefing the morning of March 10, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the day would “yet again be the most intense day” of U.S. strikes in Iran with “the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes, intelligence more refined and better than ever.”
Hegseth also said the war with Iran is “not endless nation-building or those types of quagmires we saw under Bush or Obama.” He added that Trump – who “very clearly ran against those kinds of never-ending” wars – would “not let that happen.” Hegseth’s comments came a day after Trump said that the U.S.-Israeli war is “very complete, pretty much.”
Speaking alongside Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. has so far struck more than 5,000 targets. Iranian ballistic missile attacks are down 90%, he said, and one-way attack drones from Iran are down 83%. Read more from The New York Post here.
Trump says U.S. destroyed inactive mine-laying vessels in Strait of Hormuz
In a March 10 Truth Social post, Trump said the U.S. had “completely destroyed” 10 inactive “mine-laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow.” The post came hours after he warned Iran against placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. Trump said that if mines were placed in the strait, Iran must remove them immediately or face “consequences” at “a level never seen before.” Specifically, the President threatened to “take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a nation, again….”
A day earlier, Trump said that if Iran attempted to halt the flow of oil, it would “be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.” Read more from FOX News here.
Senior Iranian leader threatens Trump with ‘elimination’
In response to Trump’s warnings that Iran not block the Strait of Hormuz, Ali Larijani, head of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said on X that Trump should “watch out for yourself — lest you be eliminated!” Read more from The New York Post here.
Pentagon says 140 troops wounded in war
The Department of War said March 10 that about 140 American troops have been wounded since the Feb. 28 onset of the war. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that the “vast majority” of the injuries were minor. Eight service members are “severely injured,” he added. Read more from The Hill here.