Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Monday that the “regime has changed” in Iran following U.S. And Israeli strikes, while asserting the operation is not aimed at regime change. “This is not a regime change war, but the regime has indeed changed,” Hegseth said, adding that Iran “will not possess a nuclear weapon.”
Hegseth outlined the U.S. Mission in Iran as focused on destroying Iranian missiles, its navy, and preventing the development of nuclear capabilities. “This is not Iraq. This is not an endless war,” he stated, echoing similar sentiments regarding the scope of the operation. He acknowledged that the Iranian operation would result in casualties, stating, “We are striking Iran with surgical precision, overwhelmingly, and without hesitation.”
While acknowledging Iran’s long-range strike capabilities, Hegseth declined to provide a timeframe for the operation’s conclusion, stating, “We cannot put a timeframe on the Iran operation.” He responded to President Trump’s suggestion of a potential four-week duration by saying, “Four weeks is not a realistic assessment; operations will continue as long as necessary. President Trump has the authority to determine the duration of the operation.”
Four U.S. Service members have been killed during the operation, with the most recent death occurring after a tactical command center was struck, according to the Pentagon. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine added that “we expected to take additional losses” as part of the mission. A “friendly fire” incident also occurred Monday, with Kuwait shooting down three U.S. F-15s, though all crew members were reported safe. Smoke was observed rising from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait following an apparent Iranian missile strike.
Hegseth dismissed concerns about a protracted conflict, contrasting the current operation with the lengthy engagements in Iraq. He also criticized what he described as hesitation from traditional U.S. Allies, stating they were “wringing their hands and clutching their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force.”
Gen. Caine indicated that a battle damage assessment is underway, and targeting decisions by CENTCOM will take the recent events into account. At least 11 people have been killed in Israel, and Iranian state media reports 555 deaths within Iran.