US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to troops at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the still frame taken from video on June 10, 2026. (Reuters)

Iran would be ‘unwise’ to challenge US further, Pentagon's Hegseth says

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Iran would be “unwise” to challenge US further after it carried out strikes overnight in retaliation for the downing of a US Apache helicopter, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.

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“Right now, they’re defensive strikes to ensure we protect our people. Again, Iran would be unwise to challenge us further,” Hegseth said during a visit to the US base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “President Trump is seeking a deal. But not just a deal, a great deal on behalf of the American people so that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.”

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