Hegseth says upcoming days will be 'decisive' in Iran war, U.S. not foreclosing any option | Yonhap News Agency

## Summary
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the upcoming days will be "decisive" in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, noting that the United States is not ruling out any option amid speculation about potential "boots on the ground" in the Islamic Republic. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon near Washington on March 31, 2026. (Yonhap) Hegseth stressed that the Trump administration leaves all options on the table, as it has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to accept a peace deal to end the war amid fears of a prolonged war in the Middle East and the conflict's impact on oil prices and inflation. "We are not going to foreclose any option," he said. "You can't fight and win a war ... to tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground." His remarks came as the Pentagon has sent thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East in what officials call an effort to give the president "maximum optionality," spawning speculation that they could be sent into Iran for what could be risky ground operations. President Trump led the entire time, but it's not just us," he said. sshluck@yna.co.kr (END) Keywords #Hegseth Articles with issue keywords Most Liked (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Trump says Iran has given U.S. 'very significant prize' related to oil, gas Most Saved (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot Liberal ex-prime minister to declare mayoral bid in conservative stronghold Most Viewed All Categories (LEAD) Lee urges bold measures to cope with concerns about energy situation, including emergency economic decree if needed (News Focus) With 'Arirang,' BTS proves endurance beyond long break Gov't proposes 26.2 tln-won extra budget to cushion impact of Middle East tensions LG Chem secures 27,000 tons of Russian naphtha Korean Air to enter emergency management mode over soaring fuel costs Most Viewed More Most Viewed Photos N. Korea's women special warfare soldiers prev Hegseth says upcoming days will be 'decisive' in Iran war, U.S. not foreclosing any option Next Hegseth says upcoming days will be 'decisive' in Iran war, U.S. not foreclosing any option

## Article Content
Facebook
X
More
Pinterest
Linked in
Tumblr
Reddit
Facebook Messenger
Copy URL
URL is copied.
OK
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, March 31 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the upcoming days will be "decisive" in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, noting that the United States is not ruling out any option amid speculation about potential "boots on the ground" in the Islamic Republic.
Hegseth made the remarks during a press briefing alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, a day after President Donald Trump threatened to "completely obliterate" Iran's Kharg Island, a key oil hub, as well as its power plants and oil wells if a peace deal with the U.S. is not "shortly" reached.
"Just one month in, only one month, we set the terms. The upcoming days will be decisive," the secretary said.
"Iran knows that there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it. Yes, they will still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon near Washington on March 31, 2026. (Yonhap)
Hegseth stressed that the Trump administration leaves all options on the table, as it has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to accept a peace deal to end the war amid fears of a prolonged war in the Middle East and the conflict's impact on oil prices and inflation.
"We are not going to foreclose any option," he said. "You can't fight and win a war ... to tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground."
His remarks came as the Pentagon has sent thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East in what officials call an effort to give the president "maximum optionality," spawning speculation that they could be sent into Iran for what could be risky ground operations.
The Pentagon chief said the U.S. has "15 different ways" to put boots on the ground in Iran, but he did not elaborate.
"If we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department, or maybe we don't have to use them at all, or maybe negotiating this would work, or maybe there's a different approach," he said.
Mentioning "lessons" from the past wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth underscored that Trump will not repeat the lessons.
Commenting on the time frame for achieving the U.S. objectives in the war against Iran, he reiterated that the U.S. is "well on our way."
"We said four to six weeks, six to eight weeks ... It could be any particular number, but we would never reveal precisely what it is because our goal is to finish those objectives," he said.
Hegseth noted the need for other countries, which rely on the Strait of Hormuz for energy imports, to contribute to securing the waterway, saying that the issue surrounding the crucial waterway is "not just the United States of America problem set."
"We've been willing to lead. President Trump led the entire time, but it's not just us," he said.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
Keywords
#Hegseth
Articles with issue keywords
Most Liked
(2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma
Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me'
(Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot
(News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation
Trump says Iran has given U.S. 'very significant prize' related to oil, gas
Most Saved
(2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma
(News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation
Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me'
(Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot
Liberal ex-prime minister to declare mayoral bid in conservative stronghold
Most Viewed
All Categories
(LEAD) Lee urges bold measures to cope with concerns about energy situation, including emergency economic decree if needed
(News Focus) With 'Arirang,' BTS proves endurance beyond long break
Gov't proposes 26.2 tln-won extra budget to cushion impact of Middle East tensions
LG Chem secures 27,000 tons of Russian naphtha
Korean Air to enter emergency management mode over soaring fuel costs
Most Viewed More
Most Viewed Photos
N. Korea's special warfare soldiers
N. Korea's women special warfare soldiers
KCNA-Tass pact on exchange of news, cooperation
N. Korea's women special warfare soldiers
prev
Hegseth says upcoming days will be 'decisive' in Iran war, U.S. not foreclosing any option
Next
Hegseth says upcoming days will be 'decisive' in Iran war, U.S. not foreclosing any option

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- President Trump led the entire time, but it's not just us," he said. sshluck@yna.co.kr (END) Keywords #Hegseth Articles with issue keywords Most Liked (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Trump says Iran has given U.S. 'very significant prize' related to oil, gas Most Saved (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot Liberal ex-prime minister to declare mayoral bid in conservative stronghold Most Viewed All Categories (LEAD) Lee urges bold measures to cope with concerns about energy situation, including emergency economic decree if needed (News Focus) With 'Arirang,' BTS proves endurance beyond long break Gov't proposes 26.2 tln-won extra budget to cushion impact of Middle East tensions LG Chem secures 27,000 tons of Russian naphtha Korean Air to enter emergency management mode over soaring fuel costs Most Viewed More Most Viewed Photos N.

### Areas for Consideration
- Hegseth noted the need for other countries, which rely on the Strait of Hormuz for energy imports, to contribute to securing the waterway, saying that the issue surrounding the crucial waterway is "not just the United States of America problem set." "We've been willing to lead.
- President Trump led the entire time, but it's not just us," he said. sshluck@yna.co.kr (END) Keywords #Hegseth Articles with issue keywords Most Liked (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Trump says Iran has given U.S. 'very significant prize' related to oil, gas Most Saved (2nd LD) Han Kang's 'We Do Not Part' wins NBCC Award for haunting portrayal of trauma (News Focus) Han Kang's NBCC win again spotlights art of translation Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me' (Movie Review) 'Salmokji: Whispering Water': mood runs deeper than plot Liberal ex-prime minister to declare mayoral bid in conservative stronghold Most Viewed All Categories (LEAD) Lee urges bold measures to cope with concerns about energy situation, including emergency economic decree if needed (News Focus) With 'Arirang,' BTS proves endurance beyond long break Gov't proposes 26.2 tln-won extra budget to cushion impact of Middle East tensions LG Chem secures 27,000 tons of Russian naphtha Korean Air to enter emergency management mode over soaring fuel costs Most Viewed More Most Viewed Photos N.

### Implications
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the upcoming days will be "decisive" in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, noting that the United States is not ruling out any option amid speculation about potential "boots on the ground" in the Islamic Republic.
- The upcoming days will be decisive," the secretary said. "Iran knows that there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it.
- Yes, they will still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down." U.S.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon near Washington on March 31, 2026. (Yonhap) Hegseth stressed that the Trump administration leaves all options on the table, as it has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to accept a peace deal to end the war amid fears of a prolonged war in the Middle East and the conflict's impact on oil prices and inflation. "We are not going to foreclose any option," he said. "You can't fight and win a war ... to tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground." His remarks came as the Pentagon has sent thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East in what officials call an effort to give the president "maximum optionality," spawning speculation that they could be sent into Iran for what could be risky ground operations.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers hegseth, iran, war topics. Notable strengths include discussion of hegseth. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 782.