Hegseth tells Pentagon briefing Iran is at its weakest in a very long time

Pete Hegseth, the American cabinet secretary in charge of the Pentagon, told a press conference there that Iran must not be allowed to get a nuclear bomb, and described the country as badly weakened. The Hebrew-language channel News.co.il reported that Hegseth called Iran beaten and bruised, said it was in its weakest position in a very long time, and said the president had the upper hand on whatever course he decided to take.

A second Hebrew channel, Abu Ali Express, reported that Hegseth framed his comments around what it called the war in Iran. According to that channel, he said that not every necessary decision is a popular one, that someone had to confront the Iranian regime, and that history would judge Donald Trump very favourably. Both channels attributed to him a line saying that people the reports render in Hebrew as crazed Islamists cannot be permitted a nuclear bomb.

Who Hegseth is and where he spoke

Hegseth heads the United States military establishment under President Trump. Both Hebrew reports give his title as minister of war, which reflects the name now used by the Trump administration for the post historically known in English as Secretary of Defense. The Pentagon, where the press conference took place, is the headquarters building of the American military, located just outside Washington. Remarks delivered there by the department's head are an official statement of the administration's military leadership.

How the two reports differ

The two channels agree on the core of the message, that Iran must not be allowed a nuclear weapon, but they emphasise different parts of the briefing and render the key sentence slightly differently. News.co.il has Hegseth saying Iran must not be allowed to obtain a bomb. Abu Ali Express has him saying it must not be allowed to hold or possess one. The distinction between acquiring a weapon and keeping one could matter to readers following American policy, and the reports do not settle which phrasing Hegseth actually used.

Each channel also carries material the other does not. Only News.co.il reports the description of Iran as being at its weakest point in a long time and the remark about the president's upper hand. Only Abu Ali Express reports the comments about unpopular but necessary decisions, about history's judgement of Trump, and about a removal process.

Both reports are Hebrew translations of remarks Hegseth would have made in English. Neither channel publishes his original English wording, so the language in this article is a paraphrase of a translation and should not be read as his exact words.

The question of removal

According to Abu Ali Express, Hegseth was asked about the possibility of a removal from office. The channel's Hebrew wording can be read as referring to Hegseth himself. He was quoted as saying that "we are not worried" about such a process, and that a press conference on the subject would be held the following morning. The channel did not say who was seeking a removal, what grounds had been raised, or what stage any process had reached.

The Israeli and Iranian context

For readers in Israel and abroad, statements by senior American officials on Iran's nuclear programme are closely watched, since Israel regards an Iranian bomb as a direct threat to its security. Abu Ali Express is a widely followed Hebrew channel focused on Middle East security, and News.co.il is a Hebrew news channel; both relayed the remarks quickly on Telegram rather than in full written articles. The reference by Abu Ali Express to a war in Iran, and Hegseth's reported line that someone had to confront the regime, indicate that the remarks were made against a backdrop of American military action, though neither report describes that action.

What the reports do not say

• Neither channel provides Hegseth's original English words or a full transcript, so the exact phrasing of the nuclear line is unconfirmed.
• The reports do not explain what removal process was raised, who is pursuing it, or whether the following morning's press conference took place.
• No response from Iran or from the Israeli government to the remarks has been reported.
• Neither report describes the current state of the fighting it alludes to, or what options Hegseth meant when he said the president could choose any path.