Hegseth: Iran Made a “Big Mistake” Targeting Its Neighbors

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the government of Iran, saying Tehran made a “big mistake” by launching attacks against neighboring countries early in the conflict.

Hegseth said the strikes exposed the nature of the Iranian regime, describing the attacks as reckless and indiscriminate.

“It demonstrated the desperation of that regime then and the desperation of that regime now,” he said.

According to Hegseth, Iran’s actions risk further alienating Arab states in the region, many of which he said have instead chosen to strengthen cooperation with the United States.

The defense secretary said the response from regional partners shows that Iran’s strategy could ultimately push more countries toward closer alignment with Washington.