Hegseth addresses use of 'kamikaze dolphins' in Iran – 'Can't confirm or deny'

Pete Hegseth has addressed Iran's alleged use of "kamikaze dolphins" in the war, telling a press conference today that he "can't confirm or deny" whether the US is doing the same. Asked about reports of the marine mammals being deployed as weapons amid the ongoing Gulf crisis, the US defence secretary said: "I can't confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins, but I can confirm they don't." General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: "I haven't heard about kamikaze dolphins - it's like sharks with laser beams right?" Hegseth replied: "That's what it is," while shrugging. The Iranian regime once purchased trained-to-kill dolphins from the Soviet navy in 2000, according to the BBC . This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage .