Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine held a press conference on Monday morning, providing updates on Operation Epic Fury’s progress in Iran.
Trump announced the operation, which killed dozens of top Iranian officials and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday morning.
Hegseth opened the briefing, telling reporters that they had just met with Commander of US Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper. “We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it,” Hegseth said before touting America’s military strength and outlining the objectives of the mission.
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it,” he argued.
“The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser-focused: Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons.”
“We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically. With every passing day, our capabilities get stronger, and Iran’s get weaker. We set the terms of this war from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian. They are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies. Speaking of people, we hope the Iranian people take advantage of this incredible opportunity. President Trump has been clear: now is your time. To Iranian security forces, choose wisely. President Trump has also been clear about your fate in either direction,” he added.
Hegseth further addressed the loss of four US service members since the operation began, stating, “War is hell, and always will be. A grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured, the absolute best of America. May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honors them, no apologies, no hesitation, Epic Fury for them and the 1000s of Americans before them, taken too soon by Iranian radicals.”
General Dan Caine gave a summary of the operation, where more than 100 aircraft were launched into Iran in broad daylight as Tomahawk missiles rained down on Iranian Naval forces in a “massive, overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare, striking more than 1000 targets in the first 24 hours.”
As of this morning, roughly 57 hours after the operations began, the strikes and cyber operations to disrupt Iranian defense capabilities had secured the “establishment of local air superiority,” Caine said. “Over the course of the last two days, the Joint Force has launched hundreds of missions from land and sea and delivered tens of thousands of pieces of ordnance.”
He said American B-2 bombers were used to fly a 37-hour round trip and take out underground facilities, similar to Operation Midnight Hammer last June, and Israeli forces have separately hit hundreds of targets.
Meanwhile, he said, defensive operations have “remained steady and disciplined” with hundreds of Iranian missiles intercepted, with Iran’s use of suicide drones remaining “persistent.”
Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have also “surged in” and “joined the fight,” he said.
Caine further addressed the friendly fire and destruction of three Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, confirming that the incident was “not from hostile enemy fire” and that it remains under investigation, but declined to comment further on the situation.
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