by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom President Donald J. Trump calls “secretary of war,” said Monday that Operation Epic Fury against Iran was “the most lethal, most complex, and most precise aerial operation in history,” though he declined to rule out the possibility of American ground forces becoming involved.
He spoke on the third day of U.S.-Israeli attacks against the Islamic Republic, which have already resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and have also led to several U.S. casualties and — according to Iranian and regional sources — the deaths of hundreds of Iranians and others in the region.
Hegseth addressed growing concerns that the strikes could spiral into a prolonged regional conflict, declaring, “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.”
Appearing alongside Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hegseth said the operation had a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” to destroy Iran’s missile threat, dismantle elements of its navy, and ensure “no nukes.”
“No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically correct wars,” Hegseth said. “We fight to win, and we don’t waste time or lives.”
US STRATEGY AND MILITARY OBJECTIVES
Asked whether U.S. troops were currently operating inside Iran, Hegseth responded, “No, but we’re not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do.”
He called it “foolishness” to expect U.S. officials to outline publicly how far Washington might go.
Hegseth also insisted the United States was not pursuing formal regime change despite Khamenei’s death.
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it,” he said.
That statement appeared to contradict President Trump’s suggestion over the weekend that regime change was among the objectives of the campaign, with the president even encouraging Iranians to form a new government.
REGIONAL ESCALATION AND US LOSSES
The briefing came as the conflict widened across the region. Iran and allied armed groups have launched missiles at Israel, Arab states, and U.S. military targets.
Four American troops have been killed in action so far. President Trump warned Sunday that additional U.S. casualties were likely, and General Caine said the military expected further losses.
“We grieve with you, and we will never forget you,” Caine said, addressing families of the fallen.
The volatility of the conflict was underscored when Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets during a combat mission as Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones were attacking.
U.S. Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely and were in stable condition.
SCALE OF OPERATION EPIC FURY
In laying out the administration’s justification, Hegseth argued that Iran had waged “a savage, one-sided war against America” for 47 years.
“Their war on Americans has become our retribution against their ayatollah and his death cult,” he said.
While he did not cite an imminent nuclear launch threat, Hegseth reiterated that previous U.S.-Israeli strikes last year had “obliterated their nuclear program to rubble.”
Instead, he pointed to ballistic missiles and drones as the primary justification for the current campaign.
“Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions,” he said, accusing Tehran of stalling during earlier negotiations.
TIMELINE, TARGETS, AND TACTICS
General Caine said President Trump gave the go-ahead for strikes at 3:38 p.m. EST (U.S. Eastern time) on Friday while aboard Air Force One en route to Texas.
Trump later told The New York Times the assault could last “four to five weeks,” though Hegseth dismissed questions about duration, saying the timeline could “move up or back.”
The president said U.S. and Israeli forces have struck hundreds of targets, including missile sites and naval assets. Officials claimed Iranian naval headquarters and multiple warships were destroyed.
Caine said the operation utilized B-2 stealth bombers in a 37-hour round trip and incorporated cyber capabilities that “effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks,” limiting Iran’s ability to coordinate a response.
He described the campaign as delivering “synchronized and layered effects designed to disrupt, degrade, deny, and destroy Iran’s ability to conduct sustained combat operations.”
CASUALTIES, INTELLIGENCE, BRIEFINGS
At least 555 people have been killed in Iran since the campaign began, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Authorities reported 11 deaths in Israel and 31 in Lebanon.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scheduled to brief congressional leaders Monday, with a full congressional briefing set for Tuesday.
In a private session Sunday, administration officials told congressional staff that U.S. intelligence did not indicate Iran was preparing an immediate preemptive strike against the United States, according to several people familiar with the discussions.
However, some officials said Iran’s missile forces and proxy groups posed an imminent threat to U.S. personnel and allies. That internal assessment appeared to differ in tone from President Trump’s public statement that the objective was to eliminate “imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
Senior administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been indicators suggesting Iran might attempt preemptive action.
As regional powers assess their next steps, analysts say the trajectory of the conflict will likely depend on whether Iran escalates further or seeks to recalibrate. For now, the confrontation has altered the strategic balance in the Middle East, with its ultimate direction still uncertain.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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