Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boasted that the U.S. is “crushing the enemy,” while promising that the war in Iran will not be a repeat of Iraq.
Hegseth’s comments were made during a press conference on Tuesday morning alongside Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In recent days, the administration has sent mixed messages on the war, which has engulfed the broader Middle East region and raised fears of global economic disruption.
During an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, Hegseth stressed that “this is only the beginning.”
The following day, President Donald Trump told the outlet, “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.”
The war, which began when the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran in late February, has led to at least 940 deaths in Iran, according to state media. Seven U.S. service members have died.
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