US to defend its assets in Middle East: Pentagon chief
- ‘We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal,' says Pete Hegseth
WASHINGTON
The US will defend its assets in the Middle East amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday.
"We're vigilant, we're prepared, and we've messaged consistently from the beginning that we're in the region to defend our people and our assets," Hegseth told Fox News.
"Right now, we've got assets in the region, and we're going to defend them," he told Fox.
He added that President Donald Trump hopes there could be peace.
Asked whether Trump is still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran, he said: “Of course.”
Hegseth said Trump's position has not changed, adding: "We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here."
"My job as secretary of defense is to ensure our people are safe and that we are strong, so that we can set the conditions for a deal. President Trump has made it clear that it's on the table. The question is whether Iran will take it," he said.
Hegseth said earlier that over the weekend, he directed the deployment of additional capabilities to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
A defense official told Anadolu on Monday that Hegseth directed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to the CENTCOM area of responsibility to sustain "our defensive posture and safeguard American personnel."
"In the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) AOR, the U.S. Navy continues to conduct operations in the Eastern Mediterranean in support of U.S. national security objectives," the official added.
Meanwhile, deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy communications director Alex Pfeiffer rejected media reports which said, citing Israeli news, that the US is attacking Iran.
"This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed. We will defend American interests," Pfeiffer said on X.
He also said reports claiming that US fighter jets were participating in airstrikes on Iran were "fake news."
Tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes and drone attacks on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
