US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that the United States is ready to escalate military operations against Iran, including the use of heavy bombs of up to 2,000 pounds.
In an interview with CBS News, Hegseth stated that the US military is prepared to go as far as necessary to achieve its objectives in the conflict.
"We are prepared to go as far as it takes to succeed. There will come a point when they will have no choice but to surrender," he said.
The Pentagon chief added that the current operations constitute only the initial phase of the military campaign.
"This is just the beginning," Hegseth said, noting that the US has the capacity to use a wide range of conventional munitions, including 500-pound, 1,000-pound and 2,000-pound gravity bombs against military targets.
According to him, this part of the campaign has not yet fully begun and may intensify in the coming phases of the conflict, showing how Washington intends to realize its strategic objectives in the region.
