The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, involving the United States, Israel and Iran has entered its fourth week. The hostiles that began on February 28, saw a brief confusion when US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Washington was engaged in “very good” discussions with Tehran and had decided to halt military strikes. However, Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected the claims as “fake news.” The contradictions in the statements of the leaders have led to confusion over the trajectory of the conflict.

Trump Shifts Blame On Hegseth

Amid this uncertainty, Trump has indicated that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was the first one to push for military action against Iran. At a roundtable held on Monday in Tennessee, Trump made the revelation, stating, “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, 'Let's do it because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon.” Hegseth was seated beside Trump when he made the remarks. The statement comes as another story in the 24-day old war that has seen many narratives on the reasons why it was started in the first place.

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Detailing the conversation, Trump said, “I called Pete. I called General Kane. I called a lot of our great people…We got a problem in the Middle East Or we can take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem.” United States Secretary of War Hegseth has taken center stage in the ongoing tensions, effectively backing Trump’s decision.

Role Of Pete Hegseth

He regularly briefed reporters about US military objectives which included dismantling Tehran’s missile programme, drone production, and naval capabilities. At the beginning of the conflict, Hegseth had warned that Iran should not doubt US resolve as it is backed by the higher power. In an interview with CBS news, Hegseth said, “Our capabilities are better. Our will is better. Our troops are better. The providence of our almighty God is there protecting those troops, and we’re committed to this mission."

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