US Vice President JD Vance confirmed on Wednesday that the United States will not use military force against Iran openly or indefinitely.

Vance added: 'We will use military force as one of the many tools available to resolve the problem with Iran.'

He continued: 'President Donald Trump used military force in the Iran file to achieve a specific goal,' adding, 'Opening the Strait of Hormuz and allowing oil and gas to pass freely through it, and preventing the Iranians from obtaining a nuclear weapon, is what we are trying to achieve now.'

Vance stressed that the military moves made by the United States were 'legal,' adding, 'If the Iranians want to change their regime, that is up to them.'

Vance concluded his remarks by saying: 'A week after signing the memorandum of understanding, the hardline faction in Iran panicked over the millions of barrels of oil flowing out, and they felt they had lost the Strait of Hormuz card.'

President Trump had said on Wednesday, speaking about Iran, that it 'will be defeated very soon.'

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said Iran strongly desires to reach a settlement with the United States, adding that Washington will decide whether to take such a step or not.

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Trump indicated that he does not like to set deadlines, in response to journalists who asked whether Iran has a deadline before the United States begins launching attacks on Iranian bridges.

He explained: 'I don't like setting deadlines, but they know very well, they know the story... it's better for them to behave well.'

The US military announced on Wednesday the launch of a second wave of targeted strikes against Iran.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) clarified in a statement that: 'At 3:00 PM Eastern Time, US forces launched operations as part of the second wave of strikes today against Iran.'

According to the statement: 'The strikes target Iranian military capabilities used to threaten ships that freely transit the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for global trade.'

The statement considered that the US military is holding Iran accountable 'based on the directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.'