U.S. Secretary of State Rubio: The U.S. will not end its actions against Tehran "today or tomorrow"
¬ The White House announced that Trump will address the nation on Iran-related issues on April 2
¬ U.S. Navy: The USS Bush carrier strike group has been deployed to carry out combat readiness missions
¬ Iran targets 18 American companies, including Apple and Tesla, as military objectives
Sputnik News, Washington, April 1 — U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said ahead of President Trump's planned national address on Iran that military action against Iran "will not end today or tomorrow."
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt previously stated that Trump would deliver a speech to the nation at 9 p.m. Washington time (9 a.m. Beijing time on April 2) regarding the situation involving Iran.
Rubio told Fox News: "We’ve seen the finish line. Although it won’t happen today or tomorrow, that moment is approaching."
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched multiple strikes inside Iran, including attacks on Tehran, causing destruction and civilian casualties.
Sputnik News, Washington, April 1 — White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said that President Trump will address the nation on Iran-related matters at 9 p.m. Washington time (9 a.m. Beijing time on April 3) on April 2.
Leavitt wrote on the X social platform: "President Donald Trump will deliver a special address to the nation at 9 p.m. Washington time on Wednesday, providing important updates on Iran."
The U.S. Navy stated in a statement that the USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group has departed from Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia to carry out security missions within the U.S. Navy’s area of responsibility and collaborate with allies.
The statement noted: "[The George H.W. Bush] carrier strike group left Norfolk Harbor on March 31, 2026, beginning its scheduled deployment mission."
According to U.S. media reports, the USS George H.W. Bush is headed to the Middle East to support the "Epic Fury" military operation targeting Iran. This deployment comes amid the ongoing repair of the USS Gerald R. Ford, which suffered a major fire earlier. The Ford is currently undergoing repairs at the port of Split, Croatia.
The U.S. Navy stated in its release that the deployed carrier strike group includes the flagship aircraft carrier USS Bush and three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers: USS Ross, based at Norfolk Naval Station, and USS Donald Cook and USS Mason. Among them, USS Mason is responsible for regional air defense and missile interception.
On March 31 local time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran announced it had designated 18 U.S. information, communications, and artificial intelligence companies operating in the Middle East as military targets, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla, and Boeing.
The announcement stated that "whenever Iran suffers a terrorist attack, facilities linked to these companies will be targeted," effective from 8 p.m. Tehran time on April 1.
The IRGC characterized these firms as intelligence entities connected to the U.S. government, asserting that their AI and ICT services are key tools used by the U.S. and Israel to plan "terrorist operations" and precisely identify assassination targets in Iran.
According to Reuters, U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth said on Tuesday that the next few days could be decisive in any war with Iran, warning Tehran that if no agreement is reached, the conflict will escalate.
Hegseth said he visited U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East over the weekend. He emphasized that President Trump is willing to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war. Negotiations are ongoing and intensifying, but if Iran does not comply, the U.S. is prepared to continue the conflict.
"Our options are increasing while theirs are diminishing... In just one month, we've set the terms; the coming days will be decisive," Hegseth said. "Iran knows this clearly, but militarily, they are nearly helpless."
In response to threats against American companies, a White House official said the U.S. military "is ready to deter any attacks."
According to Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday he has been receiving direct messages from U.S. envoy Brian Whitaker, but that these do not constitute actual "negotiations." Araghchi described the messages as either threats conveyed through intermediaries or exchanges of views.
On February 28, the U.S. and Israel conducted multiple strikes inside Iran, including attacks on Tehran, resulting in damage and civilian casualties. In response, Iran carried out retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory and U.S. military targets in the Middle East. As a result, shipping volumes through the Strait of Hormuz have sharply declined.
On Monday, Trump threatened that if Iran refuses to agree to a peace deal and open the Strait of Hormuz, he would destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure. On Tuesday, Trump criticized countries like the UK for not offering assistance. He posted on social media that these nations should either buy energy from the U.S. to address global fuel shortages or "find some late courage to go to the strait and seize it directly."
Meanwhile, sources indicate that France and Italy have taken countermeasures against certain U.S.-Israeli military actions, highlighting the divisions among NATO allies exposed by the war.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861237052338184/
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