Hegseth and Caine holding briefing on Iran war

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine are holding a briefing for reporters Thursday connected the latest developments successful the Iran war, their archetypal since Israel carried retired strikes sidesplitting Iran's apical information chief Ali Larijani and Esmail Khatib, its quality minister.

Despite U.S. and Israeli strikes against elder Iranian leaders, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said astatine a Senate hearing Wednesday the authorities "appears to beryllium intact," though "largely degraded."

President Trump suggested Wednesday that different countries should "be responsible" for the Strait of Hormuz, aft some nations rejected his demands that they assistance reopen the waterway. The strait has efficaciously been closed to the U.S. and its allies, causing higher lipid prices — and higher state prices astatine the pump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said allies were discussing the "best way" to reopen the waterway, and U.K. subject planners are moving with the U.S. to make immoderate options.

Meanwhile, the FBI is investigating erstwhile National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent successful transportation with alleged leaks of classified information, aggregate sources with nonstop cognition of the substance told CBS News. Kent resigned earlier this week implicit the Trump administration's handling of the warfare with Iran. The probe began earlier Kent resigned, sources told CBS News. 

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How to ticker the Pentagon update connected the Iran war

• What: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine little connected Iran warfare  
• Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
• Time: 8 a.m. ET
• Location: The Pentagon
• Online stream: Live connected CBS News 24/7