From the Pentagon on Tuesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine provided the most detailed look yet at Operation Epic Fury, a mission they described as a “ruthless” and “laser-focused” campaign to end the Iranian regime’s nuclear aspirations once and for all.
Secretary Hegseth opened the briefing by connecting the current strikes to decades of conflict, framing the operation as a debt owed to American service members.
“Our generation understands this fight,” Hegseth said. “For 47 years, these barbaric savages in the Iranian regime have murdered our brothers in arms. My guys. Your guys! Our guys through their terrorist proxies and cowardly attacks.”
A Mission of “Ruthless Precision”
Hegseth was quick to distinguish this operation from the protracted wars of the early 2000s, emphasizing that the “days of never-ending, nebulously scoped missions are dead.”
Instead, he outlined a strategy built on total air dominance and specific, high-value destruction.
- Total Nuclear Denial: “The mullahs are desperate and scrambling,” Hegseth noted, adding that the mission is designed to “permanently deny nuclear weapons forever.”
- Infrastructure Annihilation: The United States is targeting the “defense industrial base,” specifically focusing on the regime’s ability to manufacture new missiles. “Destroy their Navy and permanently deny nuclear weapons forever,” he stated.
- Tactical Timeline: While intensity is at an all-time high, Hegseth stressed the U.S. will move “on our timeline and at our choosing,” refusing to be drawn into a “quagmire.” He added, “This is not 2003. This is not endless nation-building under those types of quagmires we saw under Bush or Obama.”
Degradation by the Numbers
General Dan Caine provided a technical breakdown of the damage inflicted over the first ten days of the campaign. He described a “symphony of American spirit” carried out by young Sailors and Aviators, some in their early 20s, who are working “night after night” to sustain the offensive.
- Missile Capability: Ballistic missile attacks from Iran have plummeted, trending downward by 90 percent since the start of the operation.
- Drone Production: One-way attack drone launches have decreased by 83 percent, a result of striking “production facilities, research and development sites, and infrastructure.”
- Target Volume: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has successfully struck more than 5,000 targets to date.
- Naval Superiority: Following the sinking of an Iranian drone carrier last Thursday, the General confirmed that the U.S. continues to “hunt and strike mine-laying vessels and mine storage facilities.”
The Warning on the Strait of Hormuz
The briefing took a sharp turn when discussing the potential for Iran to block international shipping lanes. Hegseth reiterated a warning signaling that any interference with the flow of oil would result in an unprecedented escalation.
“The President has made it clear: if Iran does anything to stop the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” Hegseth said. He added that for those who attempt to hold the world hostage, “death, fire, and fury will reign upon them.”
Honoring the Sacrifice
Both leaders took time to honor those who have not returned. General Caine shared the story of Staff Sergeant Benjamin Pennington, an Iowa native who had wanted to be a soldier since kindergarten.
“In your profound grief, the Joint Force remains eternally grateful for your sacrifice,” Caine told the families of the fallen. “Their names will never be forgotten.”
Hegseth, quoting Psalm 144, asks for protection for the troops currently engaged in what he calls the “most intense day of strikes inside Iran” yet.
“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle,” Hegseth recited. “May the Lord grant unyielding strength and refuge to our warriors.”
READ: Trump Signals Impending End To Iran Conflict As “Operation Epic Fury” Decimates Leadership
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