Pentagon has declared that Iran “cannot outlast” U.S. military power as strikes intensify across the country. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth claimed that Iran’s air defenses, navy, and missile capabilities are rapidly collapsing, with the U.S. gaining uncontested control of Iranian airspace.
The joint U.S.-Israeli offensive has caused severe civilian casualties, including more than 1,000 deaths, while military targets and Iranian leadership have been heavily hit. Hegseth warned that the operation is just beginning, signaling further strikes deeper into Iranian territory.
#IranUSConflict #PeteHegseth #IranianRegime #USMilitaryAction #IranAirspaceControl #USIsraelOffensive #IranStrikes #USMilitaryPower #IranianCrisis #TehranUnderAttack #BreakingNews #IranUpdates #USPentagon #IranWarNews #MiddleEastTensions #USIranConflict
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The joint U.S.-Israeli offensive has caused severe civilian casualties, including more than 1,000 deaths, while military targets and Iranian leadership have been heavily hit. Hegseth warned that the operation is just beginning, signaling further strikes deeper into Iranian territory.
#IranUSConflict #PeteHegseth #IranianRegime #USMilitaryAction #IranAirspaceControl #USIsraelOffensive #IranStrikes #USMilitaryPower #IranianCrisis #TehranUnderAttack #BreakingNews #IranUpdates #USPentagon #IranWarNews #MiddleEastTensions #USIranConflict
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Category
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NewsTranscript
00:00I stand before you today with one unmistakable message about Operation Epic Fury.
00:06America is winning, decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy.
00:13Under the direct command of President Trump, the War Department unleashed this operation early Saturday morning,
00:20just four days ago.
00:22Which means we need to remember two things.
00:27First, we are only four days into this.
00:31Metrics are shifting, dust is settling, and more forces are arriving.
00:35It's very early, and as President Trump has said, we will take all the time we need to make sure
00:41that we succeed.
00:43Second, we are only four days into this, and the results have been incredible.
00:51Historic, really.
00:52Only the United States of America could lead this, only us.
00:57But when you add the Israeli Defense Forces, a devastatingly capable force,
01:02the combination is sheer destruction for our radical Islamist Iranian adversaries.
01:08They are toast, and they know it.
01:12Or at least, soon enough, they will know it.
01:16And we have only just begun to hunt, dismantle, demoralize, destroy, and defeat their capabilities.
01:24Just four days in.
01:28Starting last night, and to be completed in a few days, in under a week,
01:34the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace.
01:41I hope all the folks watching understand what uncontested airspace and complete control means.
01:49It means we will fly all day, all night, day and night, finding, fixing, and finishing the missiles and defense
01:58industrial base of the Iranian military.
02:00Finding and fixing their leaders, and their military leaders.
02:05Flying over Tehran, flying over Iran, flying over their capital, flying over the IRGC.
02:13Iranian leaders looking up and seeing only U.S. and Israeli air power.
02:21Every minute of every day, until we decide it's over.
02:27And Iran will be able to do nothing about it.
02:31B-2s, B-52s, B-1s, Predator drones, fighters, controlling the skies, picking targets.
02:39Death and destruction from the sky.
02:42All day long.
02:44We're playing for keeps.
02:46Our warfighters have maximum authorities granted personally by the President and yours truly.
02:52Our rules of engagement are bold, precise, and designed to unleash American power, not shackle it.
02:59This was never meant to be a fair fight.
03:03And it is not a fair fight.
03:05We are punching them while they're down.
03:08Which is exactly how it should be.
03:12Thus far, Operation Epic Fury has delivered twice the air power of shock and awe of Iraq in 2003.
03:19Minus Paul Bremer and the nation building.
03:23The campaign has seven times the intensity of Israel's previous operations against Iran during the 12-day war.
03:30Seven times.
03:32And as President Trump said, more and larger waves are coming.
03:37We are just getting started.
03:38We are accelerating, not decelerating.
03:42Iran's capabilities are evaporating by the hour, while American strength grows fiercer, smarter, and utterly dominant.
03:49More bombers and more fighters are arriving just today.
03:53And now, with complete control of the skies, we will be using 500-pound, 1,000-pound, and 2,000
04:02-pound GPS and laser-guided precision gravity bombs.
04:06Of which we have a nearly unlimited stockpile.
04:10We used more exquisite standoff munitions at the start, but no longer need to.
04:15Our stockpiles of those, as well as Patriots, remains extremely strong.
04:22The enemy can no longer shoot the volume of missiles they once did, not even close.
04:27And the chairman will lay out some of those percentages.
04:30So our air defenses and that of our allies have plenty of runway.
04:34We can sustain this fight easily for as long as we need to.
04:39And as I said yesterday, we set the terms.
04:43Now, you may not see much of it because the IRGC shut off the internet to the entirety of the
04:48country.
04:48They blind their people on purpose, just like they kill their own on purpose.
04:56Much was made of the volume of missiles Iran was able to shoot in the first few days.
05:00And sadly, as we projected, a few got through and killed six of our best, who will hopefully arrive home
05:09soon.
05:10We will avenge them, no doubt.
05:14But I liken Iran's predicament to a football team who scripted the first 20 plays of a game.
05:21The team knew what plays to run because their first few drives were scripted.
05:26But now that the game has started and the blitz is on, they don't know what plays to call,
05:32let alone how to get in the huddle and call those plays.
05:37Iran's senior leaders are dead.
05:39The so-called governing council that might have selected a successor, dead, missing,
05:45or cowering in bunkers too terrified to even occupy the same room.
05:49Senior generals, mid-level officers, enlisted ranks, they can't talk or communicate,
05:54let alone mount a coordinated and sustained offensive.
05:58That's not great for morale.
06:00The Iranian Air Force is no more.
06:03Built for 1996.
06:06Destroyed in 2026.
06:09The Iranian Navy rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf.
06:13Combat ineffective, decimated, destroyed, defeated.
06:17Pick your adjective.
06:18In fact, last night, we sunk their prized ship, the Soleimani.
06:24Looks like POTUS got him twice.
06:28Their Navy, not a factor.
06:29Pick your adjective.
06:30It is no more.
06:31In fact, yesterday, in the Indian Ocean, and we'll play it on the screen there,
06:37an American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters.
06:45Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.
06:48Quiet death.
06:50The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II.
06:55Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win.
07:02Also, yesterday, the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed.
07:11Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh.
07:16Now, this is not a mission-accomplished situation.
07:22This is simply a reality check.
07:26The combination of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and combat power will control Iran, and will control it soon.
07:35Sure, Iran will still be able to shoot some missiles,
07:38and still be able to launch one-way attack drones at civilian targets,
07:42and their proxies will attempt to attack our embassies, bases, and soft targets.
07:47They are terrorists, after all,
07:50and they need to target civilians,
07:53because they can't fight toe-to-toe.
07:55But we will find them,
07:56and we will kill them.
07:59This is what the fake news misses.
08:02We've taken control of Iran's airspace and waterways
08:05without boots on the ground.
08:08We control their fate.
08:10But when a few drones get through,
08:13or tragic things happen,
08:15it's front-page news.
08:17I get it.
08:18The press only wants to make the president look bad,
08:20but try for once to report the reality.
08:23The terms of this war will be set by us at every step.
08:28As I said Monday,
08:30the mission is laser-focused.
08:33Obliterate Iran's missiles and drones and facilities that produce them.
08:36Annihilate its Navy and critical security infrastructure,
08:39and sever their pathway to nuclear weapons.
08:42Iran will never possess a nuclear bomb.
08:45Not on our watch.
08:47Not ever.
08:48And this is why President Trump's moral clarity on Iran today is so vital.
08:53Unlike the past,
08:54where vague red lines and endless negotiations let Iran fund terror
08:57and inch ever so slightly toward a bomb,
09:01this president sees the threat plainly and acts decisively.
09:04No more half measures,
09:06especially when Iran is at its weakest.
09:08No more letting Tehran play for time while our people pay the price.
09:13His leadership ensures that we finish what we start
09:16and that we protect our warfighters
09:19by crushing the enemy before they can strike again.
09:23Our offensive operations,
09:24refined through months of relentless preparation,
09:27are unstoppable.
09:29And our defensive efforts are unprecedented.
09:33We have from the start put the protection of our troops
09:37ahead of everything else.
09:40Before we very publicly built up offensive combat power,
09:44we quietly ensured that our defensive posture and power was in place.
09:50And as we built up offensive combat power,
09:53we moved the vast majority of American troops,
09:55over 90% of Americans that were on our bases,
09:59what we say off the X,
10:01out of the range of Iranian fire.
10:03Our defensive shield is equally formidable.
10:07The most sophisticated air and missile defense network ever fielded.
10:12Thousands of Iranian missiles and drones have been intercepted and vaporized.
10:16Tens of thousands of American allied lives protected.
10:20We have pushed every counter-UAS system possible forward,
10:24sparing no expense or capability.
10:27And like I said,
10:28this does not mean we can stop everything.
10:30But we ensured that the maximum possible defense
10:33and maximum possible force protection
10:35was set up before we went on offense.
10:39In closing,
10:40as President Trump told German Chancellor Mertz yesterday,
10:44Iran negotiated in bad faith,
10:47stalling, scheming, and preparing to strike.
10:49And we acted decisively
10:51to defend our people, our interests, and our allies.
10:55President Trump took bold action,
10:58putting America first,
10:59the kind of bold action that the American people
11:02elected him to execute.
11:04To our steadfast partner, Israel,
11:08your mission is being executed
11:10with unmatched skill and iron determination.
11:14Fighting shoulder to shoulder
11:15with such a capable ally
11:17is a true force multiplier
11:19and a breath of fresh air.
11:22We salute your courage
11:24and your contribution.
11:27Four days in,
11:28we have only just begun to fight.
11:33America fights to win.
11:35And in Operation Epic Fury,
11:37we are.
11:39May God's providence cover
11:40and protect our troops always.
11:43And with that,
11:44I turn it over to the chairman.
11:46Thank you, Mr. Secretary,
11:47and good morning, everyone.
11:48Thank you for being here.
11:49I'm here today to provide the American people
11:51and those of you in this room
11:53an update on Operation Epic Fury.
11:56First, it's with profound sadness
11:58and gratitude that I share the names
12:01of four of our six fallen heroes,
12:04all from the 103rd Sustainment Command,
12:07U.S. Army Reserves out of Des Moines, Iowa.
12:11Captain Cody Cork,
12:13Sergeant First Class Noah Tejins,
12:15Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor,
12:18and Sergeant Declan Cody.
12:20To the families of our fallen,
12:23we grieve with you today,
12:25and we look forward to welcoming
12:27your family members home at Dover
12:29in the coming days.
12:30Out of respect for the other families,
12:33we'll withhold the release of their names
12:35until next of kin notification is complete.
12:39And either myself or Admiral Cooper
12:42will release those names
12:43as soon as we can ensure
12:45that all of those families
12:46have been properly notified.
12:48To our Gold Star families,
12:50to our wounded warriors,
12:51and their loved ones,
12:53we will never forget your sacrifice.
12:56Our nation stands with you,
12:58and we are eternally grateful
12:59for your courage,
13:01your resiliency,
13:02your devotion to this mission
13:04and to our nation.
13:06As the Secretary said,
13:07we're four days in,
13:08103 hours into this campaign.
13:10The operation was again launched
13:12with clear military objectives
13:14designed to dismantle Iran's ability
13:16to project power outside of its borders,
13:19both today and in the future.
13:21First, we are targeting
13:22and eliminating Iran's
13:24ballistic missile systems
13:25to prevent them
13:26from threatening the U.S. forces,
13:29partners, and interests in the region.
13:31Second, we are destroying
13:32the Iranian Navy,
13:34degrading its capacity, capability,
13:36and ability to conduct operations,
13:40not just in the Central Command AOR,
13:42but as the Secretary showed
13:44in the video around the world.
13:45Third, we're ensuring Iran
13:47cannot rapidly rebuild
13:49or reconstitute its combat capability
13:52or combat power,
13:54and those phases will begin
13:56as the campaign continues.
13:58As of this morning,
14:00U.S. Central Command
14:02is making steady progress.
14:04Iran's theater ballistic missile shots fired
14:08are down 86% from the first day of fighting,
14:11with a 23% decrease just in the last 24 hours.
14:16And their one-way attack drone shots
14:19are down 73% from the opening days.
14:23This progress has allowed CENTCOM
14:25to establish localized air superiority
14:28across the southern flank of the Iranian coast
14:31and penetrate their defenses
14:34with overwhelming precision and firepower.
14:36We will now begin to expand inland,
14:40striking progressively deeper
14:42into Iranian territory
14:44and creating additional freedom of maneuver
14:47for U.S. forces.
14:49Let me explain a little bit
14:50about how we're thinking
14:52about staying ahead of the enemy.
14:54First, over the past several weeks,
14:56Admiral Cooper and the CENTCOM team
14:58have refined their operational approach
15:01to the region.
15:01Their planners identified key centers of gravity
15:06that would allow Iran to project power
15:09outside of its borders.
15:11They thought about how to isolate
15:12critical vulnerabilities
15:14and determined where, with precision,
15:17the greatest strategic effect could be achieved.
15:20As a result of this,
15:22CENTCOM is now shifting,
15:24in day four already,
15:26from large, deliberate strike packages
15:28using standoff munitions at range
15:31outside an enemy's ability to shoot at us,
15:34now into stand-in precision strikes
15:38overhead Iran.
15:40As the Secretary said,
15:42this is a point of munitions transition
15:44from standoff munitions
15:46to stand-in munitions,
15:48like joint direct attack munitions,
15:50which are GPS-aided free-fall weapons,
15:53and other things like hellfires, etc.
15:57This will allow the joint force
15:59to deliver significantly increased precision effects
16:03on the target.
16:04The throttle is coming up,
16:06as the Secretary said,
16:07as opposed to ramping down.
16:10This will allow us to maintain consistent pressure
16:12on the adversary over the coming days,
16:15disrupt their launch timelines,
16:17and impose cost every day around the clock.
16:19I know there have been a lot of questions
16:21about munitions.
16:23We have sufficient precision munitions
16:26for the task at hand,
16:27both on the offense and defense.
16:29But I want to tell you, teammates,
16:31as a matter of practice,
16:33I don't want to be talking about quantities.
16:35And I know there's been a great debate about that,
16:37and I appreciate the interest,
16:38but just know that we consider that
16:40an operational security matter.
16:42Let me flip to the map here.
16:44Hopefully I don't kill anybody
16:45with a laser pointer.
16:48As I mentioned earlier,
16:50and for you with the camera right there,
16:52my friend,
16:52I hope I don't ricochet off and hurt you.
16:55Over the initial days,
16:57the U.S. Joint Forces
16:58continued to attack and attrit
17:00ballistic missile capabilities
17:02as well as integrated air defense capabilities
17:05along the southern axis.
17:06Along the northern axis,
17:08Israel and the Israeli Air Force
17:10has predominantly been working
17:11integrated air defense targets
17:13along the northern flank,
17:15as well as medium range
17:17ballistic missile capability as well.
17:19From the sea,
17:21the USS Ford has continued
17:22to project combat power here,
17:24as well as the bomber pulses
17:26that we talked about
17:28in the opening days of this briefing.
17:31Along the southern axis,
17:33the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group
17:36has continued to provide pressure
17:38from the sea along the south,
17:40eastern side of the coast,
17:42and has been attritting naval capability
17:44all along the strait
17:46and up into the Arabian Gulf
17:48at a size and scale
17:49sufficiently to address
17:51the targets required.
17:53To date, we've hit over 2,000 targets,
17:56as Admiral Cooper said
17:57in his video last night.
17:59We've destroyed more than 20
18:01Iranian naval vessels,
18:03including, in addition to the frigate,
18:07outside of the area,
18:09one submarine,
18:10and effectively neutralized
18:12at this point in time,
18:13Iran's major naval presence
18:16in theater out there.
18:19As the Secretary showed the video
18:21for the first time since 1945,
18:23a United States Navy
18:24fast attack submarine
18:26has sunk an enemy combatant ship
18:28using a single Mark 48 torpedo
18:31to achieve immediate effect,
18:33sending the warship
18:33to the bottom of the sea.
18:34I want to remind everybody
18:36that this is an incredible demonstration
18:38of America's global reach.
18:40To hunt, find, and kill
18:42an out-of-area deployer
18:43is something that only the United States
18:45can do at this type of scale.
18:47Over the next 24 to 48 hours,
18:50CENTCOM will continue
18:51to strike infrastructure
18:52and naval capability,
18:53and will continue to assess our progress
18:56against the military objectives.
18:58It does take time for us
19:00to collect that information
19:01and to assess en route.
19:03Much of our intelligence,
19:05surveillance,
19:06and reconnaissance capability
19:07is currently hunting
19:09and killing ballistic missile launchers
19:11in one-way attack capability.
19:14We're precise in that assessment,
19:16and we call balls and strikes
19:17in that assessment.
19:19We take that matter seriously.
19:24Iran, on the other hand,
19:26has been indiscriminate
19:27and more imprecise in their attacks.
19:29They've fired more than 500 ballistic missiles
19:32and more than 2,000 drones,
19:33striking innocent civilian targets
19:36throughout the region.
19:37Our partners are answering the call
19:39to defend themselves,
19:41right alongside us.
19:43Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
19:45the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait
19:47are all defending their people
19:49with their own combat capability
19:50with precision and restraint.
19:53Jordanian air defense crews
19:55recently intercepted a cluster
19:57of Iranian one-way attack drones
19:59headed to Amman.
20:00Bahrain's air defense forces
20:02shot down an inbound drone
20:04approaching Manama's
20:05maritime infrastructure,
20:06protecting both their population
20:08and critical shipping lanes.
20:10Saudi Patriot batteries
20:11stopped a salvo
20:12of ballistic missiles
20:14aimed at energy facilities
20:16near Daharan.
20:17The UAE neutralized multiple drones
20:20targeting Abu Dhabi's industrial zone,
20:22demonstrating speed and precision.
20:24And Qatar, Qatari fighters
20:28for the first time
20:28have shot down two Iranian bombers
20:31that were en route to their location.
20:34Together, these nations are helping
20:36to defend themselves
20:37and project power as required
20:40against the enemy.
20:41We're 100 hours in.
20:43It's still very early,
20:44as the Secretary said,
20:46but the balance is shifting.
20:47We've always got to remember
20:49that these operations are complex,
20:51dangerous, and far from over.
20:52Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines,
20:56guardians, and Coast Guard
20:57guardsmen remain in harm's way,
20:59and we must be clear-eyed
21:00that the risk is still high.
21:03This is combat.
21:04Let us never forget this.
21:06As we continue,
21:07I ask that we hold
21:08all of our deployed teammates
21:09in our thoughts,
21:10those standing the watch,
21:12flying the sorties,
21:13sustaining the fight,
21:14and carrying our nation's burden.
21:16And I'll stop where I started,
21:19and that's remembering
21:20our six fallen
21:21who will return home
21:23as soon as possible.
21:24I remain humbled,
21:26grateful,
21:27inspired by,
21:28every day,
21:29the valor and professionalism
21:31of our joint force.
21:33They are quiet professionals
21:35through and through,
21:36out there doing America's work
21:38through the day
21:39and through the darkness.
21:40And with that,
21:41I'll take your questions
21:41along with the Secretary.
21:43Go ahead.
21:45What do you assess
21:47the enemy's control
21:48and command status
21:49is right now?
21:50And can you broadly describe
21:52our decisive point
21:54in this operation?
21:55Well, I won't describe
21:57the decisive point
21:58in the operation
21:58because that would tell
21:59the bad guys what it was.
22:00That's a good question, though.
22:01I appreciate the question.
22:03They're C2 structures
22:05in a bad way.
22:06Admiral Cooper's been
22:07continuing to pressure C2
22:09at the IRGC, C2,
22:12and other military elements,
22:13and will continue to do so.
22:15Thank you for the question.
22:17Thank you, Secretary Huggseth.
22:18Mary Margaret with The Daily Wire.
22:19A couple questions for you
22:21and then one for General Cain.
22:22Can you tell us more
22:23about how we took out
22:24the leader who was
22:25the leader of the group
22:26that was trying to assassinate
22:27President Trump?
22:29And then Turkey's
22:30Defense Ministry says
22:31NATO air defense systems
22:32intercepted an Iranian
22:33ballistic missile
22:34headed towards
22:35Turkish airspace.
22:36Could this trigger
22:37NATO's Article 5,
22:38and was it the U.S.
22:39who shot it down?
22:41On the first question,
22:45we've known for a long time
22:46that Iran had intentions
22:48on trying to kill
22:49President Trump
22:49and or other U.S. officials.
22:53And while that was not
22:54the focus of the effort
22:55by any stretch
22:56of the imagination,
22:56in fact, never raised
22:57by the president
22:58or anybody else,
23:00I ensured and others
23:01ensured that those
23:02who were responsible
23:04for that were eventually
23:05part of the target list.
23:06It wasn't the beginning
23:07of the effort.
23:09We were focused
23:09on missiles and launchers,
23:12and that's the focus.
23:12But ultimately,
23:13if we had the opportunity
23:14to get at those
23:15who are trying to get
23:15at Americans specifically,
23:16we would.
23:18And so we eventually
23:21had the opportunity
23:21to do that from the air.
23:23And then on the matter
23:24with Turkey,
23:26I'll have to get back
23:26to you on exactly
23:27what the intercept
23:28looked like at that.
23:29We're aware of that
23:29particular engagement,
23:32although no sense
23:33that it would trigger
23:34anything like Article 5.
23:35No, tie right there.
23:38You've got a tie.
23:39Yeah.
23:40Come back to the BBC.
23:42Can you give us
23:42an update on what
23:43the administration knows,
23:44what you know now
23:45about the reported strike
23:47on a girls' school
23:48in southern Iran
23:49on Saturday?
23:50All I know,
23:51all I can say
23:51is that we're
23:52investigating that.
23:53We, of course,
23:54never target
23:56civilian targets,
23:57but we're taking a look
23:58and investigating that.
23:59Red tie in front.
24:00Just on the basis
24:01that with the information
24:02you would have
24:03your reconnaissance abilities,
24:05ability to gather information.
24:07I mean,
24:07it's several days on now.
24:08So is there any clarity
24:10on whose munition this was?
24:12We're investigating it.
24:14Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
24:16So there are reports
24:17that the administration
24:18is considering
24:19arming Iranian
24:20and Kurdish groups.
24:22So could you please
24:23clarify that
24:24whether any such plan
24:26has been authorized
24:28or whether Congress
24:30or regional partners
24:32has been notified
24:33and consulted?
24:35All I would say
24:36is none of our objectives
24:38are premised
24:38on the support
24:40or the arming
24:41of any particular force.
24:43So what other entities
24:44may be doing,
24:45we're aware of,
24:47but our objectives
24:48aren't centered on that.
24:50Green, right there.
24:51Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
24:52Michael in Washington Times.
24:54Can you talk a little bit
24:54about the deconfliction
24:56process that's going on?
24:57You have two parallel operations,
24:59Epic Fury and Roaring Lion.
25:00How are you making sure
25:01they're not interfering
25:02with each other?
25:03Sir, I'm happy to take that.
25:04Thank you for the question.
25:06We have liaison officers
25:08on both sides.
25:10There are U.S. CENTCOM teammates
25:12out in Israel,
25:13and there are
25:14Israeli Defense Force teammates
25:16at the relevant
25:17command and control nodes
25:19within the U.S. CENTCOM enterprise.
25:22Routinely,
25:22Admiral Cooper is talking
25:24to the IDF chief of defense,
25:26and I will occasionally
25:27speak to him
25:28through the arc of this.
25:30I've spoken to him
25:31a few times already.
25:33That allows us to coordinate,
25:34integrate,
25:35and synchronize activities
25:36while maintaining
25:37separate efforts.
25:38And when I said
25:39a breath of fresh air,
25:40I really meant it.
25:42Usually it's us
25:43with some ancillary benefits
25:45from allies who are
25:46maybe willing,
25:46but not as capable.
25:47When you have both the will
25:49and the capability
25:50of an ally
25:51that can really
25:52bring things to bear,
25:53we take certain targets,
25:55they take certain targets,
25:55and we coordinate it.
25:56It has incredible effects.
25:58Right here.
25:58Secretary Hagsad,
26:00with respect to
26:01House Minority Leader
26:02Hakeem Jeffery's statement
26:03that the Iran mission
26:05will end in failure,
26:06what kind of message
26:07does that send
26:08to our enemies,
26:08and what does it do
26:10to the motivation
26:11of our troops?
26:12Well, I've been through
26:13that movie before
26:15with the Democrats
26:16rooting against the country.
26:17Our generation saw that
26:19in our battlefields.
26:20I think it's pretty
26:21unprecedented and unfortunate
26:23that it would occur
26:24four days in
26:25to an operation
26:26where, as the chairman
26:27laid out,
26:28America's best
26:29are operating
26:30in an incredibly
26:31challenging environment
26:32where they're having
26:34incredible success,
26:36but they're meeting
26:37a determined adversary.
26:39And I would,
26:40he's been privy
26:41to briefs
26:42that we've provided.
26:43He knows how effective
26:44this has been.
26:45He's being disingenuous,
26:46which we're used to.
26:47Thank you for taking
26:48my question.
26:49Heather Mullins,
26:50Lindell TV.
26:51One of the questions
26:52I have is just really
26:53regarding the intelligence
26:54that indicated
26:56that this was something
26:56the U.S. had to get
26:57involved with
26:58at the time
26:59that you guys did.
27:00We had Operation Midnight Hammer
27:01back in June.
27:02We obliterated
27:04their nuclear facilities.
27:05What was the intelligence
27:06that suggested
27:07that somehow
27:08they became a threat
27:09once again
27:10that required us
27:11to get involved
27:12with Operation Epic Fury?
27:13I appreciate the question.
27:15The evidence
27:15in front of us
27:16since the 12-day war
27:18was that Iran
27:20had no intention
27:20of actually negotiating
27:22a nuclear deal
27:23that truly meant
27:24they did not have
27:25a pathway
27:25to the nuclear bomb.
27:26And they had a moment.
27:28Jared Kushner
27:29and Steve Wyckoff,
27:31two of the best negotiators
27:32in the world,
27:33poured into that negotiation,
27:34giving them
27:35every single
27:35possible opportunity
27:36to release
27:37that ambition.
27:40And they didn't.
27:40And the intelligence
27:41that we saw,
27:42saw they didn't intend
27:43to do it in good faith.
27:44That they had
27:46the intentions
27:46eventually to get
27:48to a place
27:49where they could have
27:49that conventional shield
27:51to block their
27:52nuclear capabilities
27:53as I talked about yesterday.
27:54So I would separate
27:55the what from the when
27:56a little bit.
27:57The what is
27:59they've been killing
27:59Americans for 47 years.
28:01They have thousands
28:01of missiles pointed at us.
28:02They have ongoing
28:03nuclear ambitions
28:04and they're at the weakest
28:06they've ever been.
28:06So the when became
28:09in a particular,
28:10hey, what makes
28:11the most sense
28:11to do this
28:12to ensure that
28:13the narrow objectives
28:14we have of ensuring
28:15they never have
28:16a nuclear weapon
28:16have a maximum effect?
28:18Yes, right here.
28:19Thank you, Secretary Hexeth.
28:20I have two questions.
28:22First, what is your message
28:23to Iran's allies,
28:24namely Russia and China,
28:26who have called
28:26for an immediate
28:27end to hostilities?
28:29I don't have a message
28:30for them
28:31and they're not
28:31really a factor here.
28:33And our issue
28:34is not with them.
28:35It's with the nuclear
28:37ambitions
28:37of Iran.
28:38Absolutely.
28:38And are any so-called
28:40fully autonomous weapons
28:41or other AI tools
28:42being used
28:43in Operation Epic Fury?
28:46We've got a lot
28:46of autonomous systems
28:48or systems that are
28:49drones and others
28:51incorporated
28:52with smart AI
28:53aspects to them,
28:55but a lot of which
28:56I can't talk about here.
28:58Yellow, right there.
28:59Yes, ma'am.
29:00Thank you very much,
29:01Mr. Secretary.
29:02As you know,
29:03China is accusing
29:04the United States
29:05of invading
29:06in Iran
29:08a sovereign nation.
29:10And North Korea,
29:11which cooperates
29:13with Iran
29:14on nuclear development,
29:16has declared
29:17its commitment
29:18to protecting Iran.
29:21What is the United States'
29:23strategic response
29:26to this?
29:27And I have a second one.
29:29How many allies
29:30join with the United States
29:34to fighting
29:36against Iran?
29:37Do you have any number?
29:38I think what you're seeing
29:39right now
29:39is a response
29:40in the region
29:40to the belligerence
29:42of Iran
29:43and the willingness
29:43of them to target
29:45civilian airports,
29:47civilian hotels,
29:48civilian locations,
29:49civilian oil infrastructure
29:50of their Gulf neighbors
29:52who would have preferred
29:53not to be in conflict,
29:54didn't want to,
29:54but now realize
29:56that this is something
29:57that has to be dealt with.
29:58So whether it's UAE
29:59or Qatar
30:01or Bahrain
30:02or Kuwait
30:03or Saudi,
30:05on different levels
30:06they're reaching out to us,
30:07whether they're going
30:07on offense,
30:08which they are,
30:09whether they're giving us
30:09additional access,
30:11basing,
30:11and overflight.
30:12We're getting,
30:13we're working very closely
30:15and collaborating with them.
30:16Also on air defenses.
30:18The air defense capabilities
30:19of those countries
30:20are significant,
30:21and when combined with ours
30:23and we coordinate,
30:25it brings simplicity
30:26to the shot doctrine
30:27so we make sure
30:27we're using less munitions
30:28but being more effective
30:29with what we shoot at.
30:31And as it pertains
30:31to other countries,
30:32I'll sort of give
30:33the same question.
30:35They don't really bear
30:36on the case of Iran.
30:38We're going to deal
30:38with Iran's nuclear ambitions
30:39and that will send
30:40plenty of signals
30:41in the process.
30:44Purple.
30:45Are you going to help
30:45get Americans out of the region?
30:47Is the military going to help?
30:47Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary.
30:48I have two questions.
30:49One question for you
30:50and another question for Mr. Chairman.
30:52You ruled out
30:53that you are not engaging
30:54with the Kurdish forces,
30:55Iranian Kurdish forces,
30:57to inclusion
30:57from the Kurdistan region
30:58to Iran.
30:59But now,
31:00and today,
31:00Iranian said that
31:02under threat
31:02in the Kurdistan region,
31:03they said clearly
31:04if there's any inclusion
31:05from the Kurdistan region,
31:07they will attack
31:07all the Kurdistan region
31:08and go war
31:09with the Kurdistan region.
31:10What's your comment on that?
31:11And a question
31:12for Mr. Chairman,
31:13giving comments
31:14that the U.S. forces
31:15might be deployed
31:16if necessary.
31:17Under what specific conditions
31:18would you determine
31:19that deploying U.S. boots
31:20on the ground
31:21is necessary
31:22and how would
31:23such a decision
31:24support and advance
31:25U.S. strategic goals?
31:29Well, I'm not going to comment
31:30on U.S. boots
31:31on the ground.
31:31I think that's a question
31:32for policymakers
31:33and I don't make policy.
31:35I execute policy.
31:36I will say
31:37on the question
31:38in the back corner
31:39about helping Americans
31:40get out,
31:40first,
31:41it's a great opportunity
31:42to encourage everybody
31:43in the region
31:43to go to the State Department
31:45and register.
31:46Secretary Rubio
31:47has been trying
31:48to get that word out
31:49and I'd ask you
31:49to help us with that
31:50to have folks register.
31:52We've also opened up
31:53space available seats
31:55as C-17s
31:57and other airplanes
31:58come in
31:58to try to help folks
32:00get out.
32:00But that's really
32:01a State Department matter.
32:02But to answer your question,
32:04that's what we've been doing.
32:06Absolutely.
32:06Last question right here.
32:07Secretary Hexer,
32:08thank you.
32:09Reagan Reese
32:09with The Daily Caller.
32:10You touched on this
32:11in your opening remarks
32:12but I'm hoping
32:13you could expand
32:13on it a bit.
32:14It's been reported
32:15that Iran might be
32:16trying to outlast
32:17our ability
32:18to intercept their missiles.
32:19It sounds like
32:20you guys are saying
32:21they don't have
32:22the ability to do so.
32:23Is that the case?
32:24Can they outlast us
32:26and their ability
32:27to do that?
32:28Iran cannot outlast us.
32:31We're going to ensure
32:32through violence of action
32:33and our offensive capabilities
32:34and our defensive capabilities
32:36as I said
32:36that we set the tone
32:37and the tempo
32:39of this fight.
32:40That's why
32:41stories and speculation
32:42about different things
32:44that try to make it look like
32:44we're limited
32:45in what we can do.
32:46The only limits
32:47we have in this
32:48is President Trump's
32:50desire
32:50to achieve
32:51specific effects
32:52on behalf
32:53of the American people.
32:54And that's why
32:55we don't talk about
32:56you can save
32:57four weeks
32:57but it could be six
32:58it could be eight
32:59it could be three.
33:00Ultimately
33:00we set the pace
33:01and the tempo
33:02the enemy is off balance
33:04and we're going to
33:04keep them off balance
33:05and we know
33:06their ability to shoot
33:07versus our ability
33:08to defend
33:09that difference
33:10gets wider and wider
33:11every day.
33:12Our defense gets better
33:13their offense capabilities
33:14diminish
33:15as we are going into
33:17ammunitions
33:18that we as we said
33:19have tens of thousands
33:20of and can drop
33:21unlimited supplies on
33:23with even more effects
33:24than the standoff
33:25emissions we have now
33:26which is why
33:26when we say
33:27the throttle's going up
33:28the throttle's going up
33:29and it's going to
33:29stay on high.
33:30Thank you all very much
33:31appreciate it.
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