Iran live updates: US is 'very close' to deal with Iran, Trump says

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned the Iranian regime that the U.S. would target "dual-use" critical infrastructure if the two sides fail to reach a deal war.

"We are reloading with more power than ever before, and better intelligence, even more importantly, better intelligence than ever before," Hegseth said. "As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry."

"We'd rather not have to do it, but we're ready to go at the command of our president and at the push of a button. This blockade -- which the chairman will detail this morning -- is the polite way that this can go," Hegseth said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued on Thursday a new warning to the Iranian regime, telling them to "choose wisely" and to reach an agreement with the U.S. to permanently end the war.

"We prefer to do it the nice way, through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team, or we can do it the hard way," Hegseth said during a press briefing at the Pentagon. "We urge this new regime to choose wisely."

Hegseth issued a warning to the Iranian leadership, saying that, if an agreement isn't reached, "we're watching you. Our capabilities are not the same. Our military and yours. Remember, this is not a fair fight, and we know what military assets you are moving and where you are moving them to while you are digging out, which is exactly what you're doing, digging out of bombed out and devastated facilities. We are only getting stronger."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to hold a press conference at 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, according to the Department of Defense.

In a post on his social media platform, President Donald Trump said the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would be speaking on Thursday, following high-level talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats mediated by the U.S. earlier this week.

"Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon," Trump said in the post. "It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!"

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about who would be speaking from the Israeli and Lebanese sides.

Trump's announcement of additional talks between the two countries came after the State Department convened a trilateral meeting in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors.

The State Department on Tuesday called this week's talks "the first major high-level engagement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon since 1993."