‘We will be hitting Iran hard tonight’ – US War Secretary
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that US Central Command “will be busy tonight,” signaling that Washington is preparing further strikes against Iran barely a day after launching attacks over the reported downing of an American helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
“Because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard – and we will be,” Hegseth told reporters.
The Pentagon chief said the strikes would target “key facilities” in Iran, without specifying which sites would be hit. He claimed the attacks would be “strong” and “clear,” while adding that Tehran “has an opportunity to make a deal” with Washington.
Hegseth also claimed that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and, without providing evidence, said Washington has been “able to bring oil in and out” of the strategic waterway for “weeks and weeks.”
The remarks came after the US said on Wednesday that it had launched strikes in Iran in response to what it described as the downing of an American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said Trump had ordered “self-defense strikes… in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter.”
Iranian broadcaster Press TV reported that several projectiles struck the strategic island of Qeshm near the narrowest part of the Strait of Hormuz, which hosts a military base and a key oil terminal. Strikes were also reported in other parts of Iran’s southern Hormozgan Province.
Iran later conducted retaliatory missile strikes on American-linked military sites in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait.
RT will be providing live updates on the developments.
10 June 2026
22:32 GMTUS Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed a reporter’s question about whether strikes on bridges and other civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime.
“That’s precisely the kind of disingenuous question that I’m used to from the media, impugning the motives of the folks on our side who are incredibly professional and incredibly effective,” Hegseth said.
“We will hit them hard on our terms,” he added.
Iran earlier accused the US of destroying two water reservoirs in the southern province of Hormozgan, cutting off drinking water supplies to more than 20,000 residents.
REPORTER: "If the response is in hitting bridges, electrical infrastructure, how would that not be a war crime?”@SECWAR "That's precisely the kind of disingenuous question that I'm used to from the media, impugning the motives of the folks on our side who are incredibly… pic.twitter.com/S0x8V8d6wA
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) June 10, 2026- 22:02 GMT
Axios, citing US officials, reported that Washington hopes to use the strikes to pressure Iran into signing a peace deal on Trump’s terms.
The outlet said the US was targeting Iran’s air defenses, radar systems, and drone command-and-control units.
- 21:43 GMT
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the US had begun carrying out “additional self-defense strikes” against multiple targets.
“The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” CENTCOM said.
U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 10, 2026 - 21:41 GMT
Axios reporter Barak Ravid cited a senior US official as saying that “attacks on Iran have begun.”
More explosions were reported across southern Iran, with impacts also reported near the port of Bandar Abbas.
- 21:30 GMT
According to IRNA, explosions were heard in Iran’s southern Fars Province, near the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the central city of Isfahan. Local media reported that air defenses had been activated.
- 21:23 GMT
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that “the campaign against Iran is far from over.”
“If Iran attacks Israel, it will suffer a heavy blow like the one we delivered a few days ago. The IDF is prepared to strike Iran with great force,” he said at an awards ceremony, according to The Times of Israel.
