WATCH LIVE: War Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine Hold Press Briefing as Iran War Enters Second Week, Trump Threatens to Hit Iran “TWENTY TIMES HARDER Than They Have Been Hit” – 8 AM ET

War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Air Force General Dan Caine will hold a press briefing this morning as war in Iran continues. 

This comes as the conflict in Iran enters its second week since the February 28 Operation Epic Fury strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials.

Iran has since chosen Ali Khamenei’s son, 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, to lead the country as Supreme Leader.

During a press conference on Monday, Trump did not rule out killing the new Supreme Leader of Iran, adding that he believes the younger Khamenei will “lead to just more of the same problem for the country.”

Trump also told reporters on Monday that the US has struck “over 5000 targets to date,” but is leaving “some of the most important targets for later, in case we need to do it.”

“If we hit them, it’s going to take many years for them to be rebuilt, having to do with electricity production and many other things, so we’re not looking to do that if we don’t have to,” he added. “We are waiting to see what happens before we hit them. We could take them all out in one day.”

WATCH:

Additionally, as The Gateway Pundit reported, US B-52 Bombers have arrived in the UK after Hegseth and Caine announced last week plans to expand inland into Iranian territory to bring “death and destruction from the sky all day long.”

JUST IN: B-52 Bombers Deployed to UK as US Operations Expand Inland and Deeper into Iranian Territory, Hegseth Vows “Death and Destruction from the Sky All Day Long”(VIDEO)

Meanwhile, questions still surround the timeline of the war, with US Central Command requesting enough support for 100 days or more, but Trump describing the war on Monday as a "short-term excursion" that will end "very soon."

Uncertainty also remains in the oil markets as Iran has threatened to target any vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, President Trump on Monday night threatened to hit Iran "TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far" if they do "anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz." He further threatened to take out the "easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again," adding, "Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them."

This statement led crude oil prices to fall almost immediately:

If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far. Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

The press briefing is scheduled to begin at 8 am ET.

Watch live below:

The post WATCH LIVE: War Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine Hold Press Briefing as Iran War Enters Second Week, Trump Threatens to Hit Iran “TWENTY TIMES HARDER Than They Have Been Hit” – 8 AM ET appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.