The U.S. is “crushing the enemy” in Iran as the conflict spreads across the Middle East and rattles the global economy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boasted while also promising that the war will not be a repeat of the Iraq invasion.
“Iran stands alone and they are badly losing,” Hegseth told reporters during a Tuesday press conference, describing the Iranian regime as “barbaric savages” who are “desperate and scrambling.”
He further emphasized that the U.S. has taken extensive measures to avoid civilian casualties as the investigation continues into a strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed numerous children.
“No nation takes more precautions to ensure there is never targeting of civilians than the U.S.,” Hegseth said. “No nation in the history of warfare has ever attempted in every way possible to avoid civilian casualties. It's a point that isn't appreciated enough.”
Hegseth stressed that the conflict will not be a repeat of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, stating that “this is not endless nation building” and that the war is “constrained” and “very scoped.” That war, which started under president George W. Bush, and saw troops in the Middle East for a decade.
At the same time, the former Fox News host said that the U.S. military is poised to carry out its “most intense set of strikes inside Iran” on Tuesday, adding that the country’s ability to retaliate has significantly diminished.
To date, the U.S. has struck more than 5,000 targets in Iran and sunk more than 50 Iranian vessels, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.
Hegseth closed out the event by quoting a passage from the Bible and stating, “May the Lord grant unyielding strength and refuge to our warriors.”
The war — which began when the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran in late February — has engulfed the broader Middle East region and stoked fears of global economic upheaval.
Nearly 1,000 people have been killed in Iran, including at least 175 during a strike on a girl’s school near the Strait of Hormuz, according to state media. Trump has insisted that Tehran is to blame, though U.S. military investigators reportedly believe that American forces were responsible.
The country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was also assassinated. Over the weekend, his eldest son — 56-year-old son Mojtaba Khamenei — was named as his successor.
Iranian officials have labeled the invasion “illegal” and accused the U.S. and Israel of committing war crimes by sinking an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean. The Middle Eastern nation has retaliated by bombarding Israel and allied countries in the region, including Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates. Iranian drones have slammed into U.S. military bases, as well as civilian infrastructure, including hotels and airports.
Seven U.S. service members have died, the Pentagon said. On Saturday, Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to pay his respects as six flag-covered caskets were returned to American soil.
Oil prices also surpassed the 100-dollars-a-barrel milestone as tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint of global oil trade — dramatically dwindled. Trump stated that a short term increase in prices is a “small price to pay” for global security, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright acknowledged that Americans may feel pain at the gas pump “for weeks.”
Amidst the escalation, the administration has sent conflicting messages on how long the war will last — an on what it ultimately seeks to achieve.
“We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated, but we do so on our timeline and at our choosing,” Hegseth said Tuesday. During a Sunday interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes aired, Hegseth stressed that “this is only the beginning.”
But, the following day, Trump said, "I think the war is very complete, pretty much…[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they've got no air force…If you look, they have nothing left.” When asked during a press conference the same day whether the operation, dubbed Epic Fury, would be over this week, Trump said, “No…Soon, very soon.”
Last week, Trump said the war’s mission is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, eliminate its naval power and prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He did not mention regime change. However, in earlier remarks, the president suggested a desire to see the Iranian government fall, encouraging Iranians to “take back” their nation and saying he needs to “be involved” in choosing its next leader.
The war has also prompted heated disagreement on Capitol Hill.
Democrats have staunchly opposed the conflict, describing it as illegal, reckless and a direct violation of Trump’s campaign promise to be the “candidate of peace” and end “forever wars.” Most Republican lawmakers have backed the president publicly, though some have privately raised concerns — with one comparing the war to the U.S. invasion of Vietnam.
Last week, the House and Senate voted down war powers resolutions, which sought to impose limits on the president’s ability to unilaterally wage war against Iran.
Polls have shown that the American public is largely opposed to the war. Fifty-three percent of voters are against military action against Iran, while 40 percent support it, according to a new Quinnipiac survey. An additional 77 percent expect it will result in a terror attack on U.S. soil.
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