Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine addressed the media on Monday, March 2.
This marks the first Pentagon press conference since the US-Israeli operation against Iran.
Operation Epic Fury started on Saturday 28 February.
Here are the main key points from their remarks.
1. “We didn’t start this war, but we will end it”
Hegseth began the conference by portraying the conflict as the culmination of decades of Iranian aggression. He cited that the Iranian attacks date back to the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and recent attacks on US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hegseth said, “For 47 long years, the Iranian regime has waged a savage, one-sided war against America. We did not start this war, but under President Trump, we are ending it.”
He also noted that the United States’ primary goal is “laser-focused” on destroying Iran’s missiles. It also focuses on damaging Iran’s missile production capabilities, naval infrastructure and ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.
2. Four service members are dead
Caine confirmed that the US suffered its fourth combat fatality since the operations began, with the service member succumbing to injuries from Iran’s counterattack.
Commenting on it, Hegseth said: “War is hell and always will be. Our grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost so far and the wounded, the very best of America.”
Caine also warned that additional casualties are expected as the operation continues.
3. No US ground forces in Iran
Hegseth confirmed that US ground forces have not entered Iran and declined to rule out the possibility as the operation develops.
He criticized previous Pentagon administrations for revealing the operational details, saying: “We will go into the exercises for what we will or will not do. We will go as far as we need to.”
Gen. Caine later confirmed that additional forces are pouring into the Middle East.
4. The US-Iran war is not infinite, but the timeline remains unclear
Hegseth said, “This is not Iraq. It is not endless. I was there for both. Our generation knows better, and so does this president.”
However, he also mentioned that Iranian capabilities will not be destroyed “overnight”. When asked about the exact duration, Hegseth became resistant, stating that Trump has “all the discretion in the world” to decide whether the operation takes “four weeks, two weeks, six weeks.”
5. The purpose of the operation is not regime change
Elaborating carefully, Hegseth said the operation’s goal is not regime change, even though Iran’s supreme leader has been killed.
Hegseth said: “This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime certainly changed and the world is better off for it.”
He viewed the leadership transition in Iran as a fortunate byproduct rather than a primary goal.
