Iran war live: Trump hints US could strike Iran, warns time coming
At a public event marking Hispanic Heritage Month, former US President Donald Trump said the United States faces a choice to either reach a deal with Iran or "blow them up," and asserted the standoff would end soon. Separately, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told military leaders at Quantico that American forces have "destroyed" a range of Iran's military capabilities and undermined its nuclear ambitions, while Trump claimed the US has "virtually total control" over the Strait of Hormuz.
Why It Matters
Remarks from top US political and defence figures escalate rhetoric about possible action against Iran and highlight claims of US military dominance in a strategically crucial waterway, which could influence regional tensions and international diplomatic responses.
Key Facts
- Speaker: Donald Trump (former US President)
- Statement: Said US may "blow them up" or strike a deal with Iran; insisted standoff will end very soon one way or the other
- Event where claim made: Hispanic Heritage Month event
- Claim about Strait of Hormuz: Trump said the US has "virtually total control" over the Strait of Hormuz
- Defence official: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
Former President Donald Trump told reporters that the United States faces a binary choice with Iran: reach a negotiated settlement or resort to military action, using the phrase that the US may "blow them up." He also said the ongoing standoff would be resolved "very soon one way or the other" and repeated that the United States maintains "virtually total control" over the Strait of Hormuz while speaking at an event marking Hispanic Heritage Month.
Separately, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed military leaders at the Quantico Marine base outside Washington, DC, asserting that American forces have "destroyed" multiple elements of Iran's military capacity. Hegseth said the US had degraded Iran's navy, air force, defence systems, leadership and broader military-industrial capabilities, and had crippled its nuclear ambitions.
The comments from Trump and Hegseth were reported in live coverage by Al Jazeera, which attributed the on-the-record remarks to the two officials. Both statements frame a narrative of US military dominance and imminent resolution of confrontations with Iran, but the reporting does not provide independent verification of the military claims described by Hegseth.
The remarks add to heightened rhetoric between US officials and Iranian-linked actors, and reference control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane. The source for these reports is Al Jazeera’s live coverage by Fiona Kelliher, Mariem Bah and Usaid Siddiqui.
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