Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth conducted a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday regarding ongoing military operations involving Iran, stating that "the upcoming days will be decisive" in the conflict.

During the briefing, Hegseth was joined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. Hegseth indicated that "American firepower is only increasing" as operations continue.

Hegseth also revealed that he made a previously undisclosed visit to U.S. service members in the U.S. Central Command area over the weekend. The Defense Secretary told reporters he spent approximately half of Saturday in the Centcom region.

According to Hegseth, operational security considerations and concerns about troops being targeted were factors in keeping the visit confidential until after his return. The visit occurred as U.S. forces remain engaged in military operations in the Middle East region.

The briefing provided updates on what sources referred to as ongoing military operations, though details about the scope and timeline of current actions were limited in the available reports.