Iran cannot outlast the U.S., Hegseth said at his news conference, adding that the war could continue for, three, four, six or eight weeks.

Axar.az reports, citing NBC, Hegseth stated: "We’re going to ensure through violence of action and our offensive capabilities and our defensive capabilities, as I said, that we set the tone and the tempo of this fight."

"The only limits we have in this is President Trump’s desire to achieve specific effects on behalf of the American people," he added. "We could say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three."

Hegseth finished by saying Iran was "off balance," and that the "difference gets wider every day."