During a "60 Minutes" interview with CBS News's Major Garrett that aired late Sunday, Hegseth confirmed that U.S. forces were not on the ground in Iran.
"But we reserve the right," he added, speaking of him and President Trump. "We would be completely unwise if we did not reserve the right to take any particular option, whether it included boots on the ground or no boots on the ground."
The admission is a step further from what he told reporters last week, when he said the Pentagon will not "get into the exercise of what we will or will not do."
Seven U.S. service members have already died in combat, while an eighth died from a medical related event on Saturday. Both Hegseth and Trump have said there will be more casualties.
"The president's been right to say there will be casualties. Things like this don't happen without casualties," he said.
Hegseth and Trump are sending mixed signals over how long the war in Iran will continue.
Hegseth told 60 Minutes that he and Trump are "willing to go as far as we need to in order to be successful" in knocking out the Iranian regime, while the Defense Department said in an X post on Monday, "We have Only Just Begun to Fight."
However, Trump told CBS News on Monday afternoon, "I think the war is very complete, pretty much."
"[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they've got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones," Trump added.
And Kamal Kharazi, foreign policy adviser to the office of the supreme leader, on Monday told CNN that he didn't "see any room for diplomacy anymore" as the war hits its 10th day.
Trump, meanwhile, did not rule out threats to U.S. citizens when asked by Time if Americans should fear an attack on the homeland.
Read the full report at thehill.com.
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