War against Iran will intensify, Hegseth says

(FILES) US President Donald Trump arrives to address troops at the Al-Udeid air base southwest of Doha on May 15, 2025. Qatar on June 23, 2025 condemned an Iranian attack on the largest US military base in the region, hosted in the Gulf state, calling it a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty". (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

United States Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, says today will be the “most intense” of the United States strikes on Iran.

“The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes,” he tells a Pentagon news conference.

Hegseth also says Iran has fired the fewest number of missiles in a 24-hour period since the war began.

A top Iranian security official warns Donald Trump on social media: “Be careful, so that you won’t get eliminated.”
‎On Monday, President Trump said the war was “very far ahead of schedule” and “very complete, pretty much.”

The price of oil, which had surged past $100 a barrel on Monday, dipped closer to $90 after his remarks.

Meanwhile, the UK says it is readying a naval ship, the RFA Lyme Bay, in case it is needed to help out in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The price of oil has fallen sharply after Donald Trump’s comments on Monday”, that the war in Iran was “very complete, pretty much”, raised hopes that a drawn-out conflict could be avoided.

‎Brent crude is currently trading at about $88-a-barrel, well below the level of about $119 it reached on Monday.

‎Despite the falls over the past 24 hours, oil prices are still significantly higher than they were before the war, when prices were around $72 a barrel.

‎The price of gas has also dropped, with UK prices for month-ahead delivery falling sharply to 126p a therm, compared with yesterday’s peak of 171p.

‎Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates air defences have detected nine ballistic missiles today, destroying eight while one fell in the sea, the nation’s Ministry of Defence has said.

‎An additional 35 drones were detected, 26 of which were intercepted while nine fell in UAE territory.

‎According to the MOD’s post on X, this brings the total of Iranian weaponry directed at the UAE to 262 ballistic missiles (241 of these destroyed) and 1,475 drones (1,385 of these intercepted).

The attacks have resulted in six deaths, of Emirati, Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationalities.

‎“The Ministry of Defense affirms that it is on high alert and readiness to deal with any threats and to firmly counter all that targets the destabilization of the state’s security, ensuring the preservation of its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protecting its interests and national capabilities,” the MOD said.

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