Pentagon chief to hold first press conference on Iran

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is set to address the media on Monday morning on the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran — the first public briefing by a senior official since the strikes began on Saturday.

The press conference will take place at 8:00 am local time (1300 GMT), the Pentagon said in a post on X on Sunday. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will join Hegseth at the briefing.

Hegseth is also scheduled to visit Congress on Tuesday alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio to update lawmakers on the progress of the operation, the White House said.

Opposition Democrats have criticised the administration, saying they were not consulted before the military action was launched.

US and Israeli forces carried out strikes on Iran on Saturday. Iranian state media reported on Sunday that an attack in Tehran killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.