WATCH LIVE: The White House holds a media briefing as the US announces the day of “most intense” strikes on Iran

Tuesday will be the most intense day yet of US strikes inside Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, as the Islamic Republic, its firepower diminished, vowed to keep fighting.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt will hold a briefing at 2 p.m. EST. Watch it live in our video player above.

For his part, President Donald Trump sent contradictory signals about how long the war could last, causing sharp volatility on Monday in financial and fuel markets. The US stock market and oil prices remained relatively flat on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the goal of the war was the popular overthrow of the Iranian government, and “we are breaking their bones.”

He watches: Araqchi describes the US strikes as a “failure” and pledges to fight “as long as it takes.”

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf rejected any suggestion of seeking a ceasefire, while another senior Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, warned Trump himself, writing on X that “Iran is not afraid of your empty threats. Even those bigger than you will not be able to eliminate Iran. Be careful not to eliminate yourself.”