- 2 days ago
The West Asia conflict intensifies as the US military's 'Operation Epic Fury' strikes over 11,000 targets in Iran, destroying more than 150 naval vessels.
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00:00The war in West Asia is rapidly escalating and every passing hour is adding to a new layer of tension,
00:05contradiction and sort of uncertainty as well.
00:08From military strikes to tanker attacks and conflicting diplomatic signals,
00:12the situation remains volatile and unpredictable.
00:16Which is why this comes on number one.
00:19Donald Trump issuing a blunt warning.
00:22Iran must either finalise or deal or face destruction with threats to hit power plants as well.
00:30Oil fields, even the Khark Island.
00:32While insisting that Hormuz will stay open.
00:36Backing him, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also said that Washington is prepared to take control of the strait.
00:45Meanwhile, Iran has hit back with firm stance, signalling full mobilisation of its forces as tensions escalate.
00:51Tehran says its military is battle ready and prepared for a prolonged conflict.
00:57This as strikes continue in the Gulf nation.
00:59Explosions have been reported in Dubai with authorities responding to missile threats and air defence interceptions.
01:07On the battlefield, US bunker buster strikes hit Iranian ammunition depots,
01:15hardening the military sites over there, all of those areas.
01:19US media reports claim that use of 900 kg plus bunker buster in the strike that hit Iran's ammunition warehouse.
01:27Notably, this is, Isfahan is also home to Iran's Badr military airbase.
01:36Iran insists that war will only end on their terms.
01:41President Masood, you know, says that any peace deal must guarantee Iran's security, dignity and core interest,
01:50rejecting its external pressure and also insisting that Iran alone will decide the timeline.
01:57Number five on our list, at sea, Iran moves to monetise control, pushing a toll plan in the strait of
02:05Hormuz
02:05with reports of multi-million dollar charges per ship.
02:09Reports suggest that select ships are being charged up to two million dollars for safe passage
02:14after strict wetting and, of course, clearance by the Iranian forces.
02:20Number six, then, the conflict spills into shipping lanes.
02:24Iran has now attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker anchored at Dubai port.
02:31Dubai authorities said that the drone attack on the Al-Salmani tanker caused a fire on port
02:37that was extinguished early on Tuesday and claimed that there have been no oil leak.
02:42That's the claim.
02:44Number seven, then, even as tensions rise, signals from Washington suggest that U.S. may not want a prolonged war.
02:51Western media are quoting U.S. officials and Trump's close aides have claimed that U.S. is willing to end
02:57the campaign against Iran
02:59even if the key shipping route state of Hormuz remains closed.
03:04These are the reports as of this time.
03:07Number eight on our list, the White House has signaled that Donald Trump may seek financial contributions from Gulf
03:12allies to cover the soaring cost of the United States' war against Iran.
03:16A campaign estimates to run into tens of billions of dollars.
03:20Officials hinted that countries in the Gulf could be willing to help pay
03:25even as Washington continues to lead the military effort.
03:31Number nine on our list, diplomatic confusion deepens.
03:34Donald Trump says that U.S. is in active talks with Iranian leadership
03:38and that progress is being made towards a deal.
03:41But Tehran flatly denies any direct negotiation, insisting no talks have taken place
03:47and accusing Washington of pushing narratives to influence the situation.
03:52And then finally, Israel has ramped up operations, reportedly using AI-based systems
03:59to precisely target Iranian leadership and their assets.
04:03Multiple fronts, mixed signals and mounting risks.
04:09This is the conflict expanding in real time with no clear end game in sight.
04:17On the escalation ladder, at least after more than a month, we can say if it's not gone vertically up,
04:23it's certainly expanded horizontally the way the war is going as of this time.
04:31A war that refuses to end and a question that refuses to go away.
04:37Is someone making money while bombs keep falling?
04:41The West Asia conflict is now in its second month.
04:46No ceasefire, no clear victor.
04:48Just a widening battlefield.
04:51But now, there are uncomfortable questions emerging.
04:54Not just about strategy, not just about timing, but about money.
04:59Because even before the strikes, there were reports of interest in defence-linked investments,
05:04raising questions on whether the financial positions were being explored ahead of a military action.
05:11The claims have been denied, strongly pushed back, but the suspicion has not gone away.
05:18And then came the entire market overturn.
05:20Moments before a key announcement on Iran's massive bets placed on crude oil,
05:26what followed was a sharp crash in pricing, a surge in equities, and in minutes, extraordinary gains.
05:33For a select few, of course.
05:35Now, raising serious questions about what is instinct, or was it just insider access.
05:45And even as these questions sort of grow louder, one trend is unmistakable.
05:51Defence is booming.
05:52Missile system, air defence, fighter jet, surveillance tech.
05:57Orders booked on expanding valuations are climbing.
06:01So, as the war continues, the battlefield is only one part of the story,
06:05because away from the front lines, there are movements of a very different kind
06:10that are happening as of now.
06:12There is money, markets and possible gains.
06:14So, the question that we are raising in front of you tonight
06:18is that it is no longer just about who is winning the ball,
06:22but it is whether someone is actually winning from it.
06:26Let's understand all of that in detail.
06:29Now, what happened?
06:30In the latest, a new development is sort of drawing attention in the United States,
06:35this time inside Washington.
06:36According to US media reports, a broker linked to Defence Secretary Pete Hexet
06:41explored a potential investment in defence-linked funds.
06:45This was in weeks leading up to the Iran strikes.
06:49The proposed move was tied to a fund tracking defence companies,
06:52which raises questions about timing, about intent,
06:56about proximity between policy decisions and also financial interests.
07:00Now, there is a clarification that has come.
07:02We are told that the deal never really materialised.
07:05It is also unclear whether Hexet was aware or even approved of the move.
07:10And the Pentagon has also strongly denied the report,
07:13calling it false-fabricated.
07:15But despite that pushback, the episode has brought fresh focus
07:19on the intersection of power and money.
07:24And before you forget, let's move to the moment that is now under scrutiny.
07:29This is the 23rd of March, minutes before major announcement on Iran markets began to shift.
07:37An unusual surge was seen in trading activity.
07:40Large positions building in crude oil.
07:42It was not noise, it was not even routine.
07:46Something more deliberate.
07:47And then the trigger came.
07:50Former US president there also sort of, you know,
07:56there were news that there is a clear statement that is going to come in.
08:00And then came that statement.
08:02Donald Trump announced a pause in strikes on Iran.
08:05And what followed was pretty clear.
08:08Oil prices fall sharply.
08:10Equity markets surged, Dow Jones jumps, S&P 500 and Nasdaq move higher.
08:16And in that narrow window, those who were positioned correctly, they made a lot of money.
08:23So the question, was this sharp market instinct or something more?
08:28The next story takes you through all of those details because beyond these questions, one trend is clearly visible.
08:36Defense is in focus and as the conflict intensifies, demand for weapons system is also expected to rise.
08:54All right, so those were the big, you know, highlights that we are tracking for you at this hour.
09:00Let's quickly take a look at this report to understand how exactly is this profiteering taking place, if at all.
09:12The scope of allegations is widening every day.
09:16From well-timed market bets to policy announcements that move billions within minutes.
09:22Questions around possible insider trading linked to the Trump administration are growing louder, sharper and harder to ignore.
09:32The latest is a report by globally respected financial daily, which has ignited fresh scrutiny around the conduct of the
09:39U.S. war secretary, Pete Hexet.
09:42And a reported attempt to invest in defense stocks just weeks before the U.S. fired the first missile against
09:48Iran.
09:52The report cites three internal sources claiming a wealth manager at Morgan Stanley contacted BlackRock in February.
10:00The target, the defense industrial's active ETF or the IDEF.
10:05The fund is a $3.2 billion war chest packed with the titans of the military industrial complex, Lockheed Martin,
10:12Northrop Grumman and RTX.
10:15The irony is that the trade reportedly failed not because of an ethical firewall, but a technical one.
10:22The fund was not yet available on the Morgan Stanley platform.
10:26The big question being asked, was this a broker's intuition or a client's instruction?
10:32The Department of War has not just denied the report, they have declared war on its credibility.
10:37The chief Pentagon spokesman took to social media to incinerate the claims, labeling them entirely false and fabricated, and yet
10:46another baseless, dishonest smear designed to mislead the public.
10:49What makes the allegations more interesting is this revelation by Trump a few days ago.
10:56We've got a problem in the Middle East.
10:58We have a country known as Iran that for 47 years has been just a purveyor of terror, and they're
11:07very close to having a nuclear weapon.
11:09We can keep going and get that 50,000 up to 55 and 60 is no end.
11:15Or we can take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem.
11:22And Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up.
11:25And you said, let's do it, because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon.
11:30But the speculation of insider trading is not without a spark.
11:34Just last week, the markets witnessed a feat of timing that borders only supernatural.
11:40Last week, exactly 15 minutes before President Trump announced a pause in hostilities against Iranian energy targets,
11:47the trading floor on Wall Street machines went wild.
11:50A massive $580 million trade in oil futures and equity hit the tapes.
11:56It was the ultimate heads-up bet.
12:00As the president's post hit the internet, oil prices cratered and equities surged.
12:05To the lucky traders who moved minutes before the world knew, it wasn't a peace deal.
12:10It was a payday.
12:12The optics have become so garish that even America's adversaries are joining the commentary.
12:19Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibhaf mocked the administration on social media,
12:23describing the US markets as a giant pump-and-dump scheme.
12:27While the Pentagon and the White House maintain the Secretary of War's hands are clean,
12:32the billion-dollar bets continue to anticipate the Commander-in-Chief's every word with surgical precision.
12:38And the public is left to wonder, is the Trump administration fighting a conflict in West Asia,
12:44or is it simply managing a global portfolio?
12:48We have a report, India Today.
12:53All right, cutting across to a latest comment and a social media post that has come in from Donald Trump.
12:59He goes on to say that, and I quote him here,
13:02all of those countries that can't get jet fuel because of Strait of Hormuz,
13:07like the United Kingdom, which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran.
13:13I have a suggestion for you.
13:15Number one, buy from us.
13:17We have plenty.
13:19Number two, he says, build up some delayed courage.
13:22Go to the strait and just take it.
13:25You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself.
13:29The USA won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us.
13:34Iran has been essentially decimated.
13:37The hard part is done.
13:40So go and get your own oil.
13:43President DJT.
13:47All right, let me try, try to decode that with my colleagues Geeta and Gaurav joining us now.
13:54I don't know if it's, anybody can really understand what these tweets and where this is going anymore.
14:01But Geeta, I'll give you the first word.
14:02Decode it for us.
14:03What's really happening here?
14:04Well, it is a very, very angry, disappointed, as Gaurav and I were saying just a while ago,
14:10very angry, very disappointed president of the United States of America,
14:14who is now hitting out at his European allies, or so-called allies,
14:20who haven't come to America's rescue when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz.
14:24And now the messaging is, go take it yourself.
14:27America does not need the oil from there.
14:29And if you're having problems with oil, then buy from America.
14:32We have plenty.
14:33He's also spoken of France that wouldn't let planes headed to Israel,
14:40loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory.
14:42Now we've seen Spain do it.
14:45We've seen France take a call on it.
14:47Italy very recently has not allowed U.S. bases.
14:50So European countries are increasingly distancing themselves from this war of choice by America.
14:58And American president, certainly over here, President Trump,
15:02looking increasingly frustrated with the situation that he is caught in in the Strait of Hormuz with Iran
15:10and the fact that there are no allies coming to his rescue.
15:13Yeah.
15:14Gaurav, very difficult to form a connection or correlation between what he tweets and what actually happens on the ground.
15:22That's a separate story.
15:23But if you just look at the tone and the tenor of how his tweets have been or his social
15:28media posts have been over the past one week at least,
15:31you only see him getting angrier, more grumpy and literally in this one going and attacking his own allies.
15:39So, you know, all these allies will just turn around and say he started it.
15:44I mean, look, these are his closest of the closest allies.
15:47They're NATO partners.
15:48They're buddies.
15:49They're friends.
15:50You know, when he became president and at his, they were at his beck and call.
15:54They'd go running to the United States of America because somehow they wanted to ensure that NATO stays together,
16:01especially when it came to that question of Ukraine.
16:03But look at the way he treated them.
16:04Look at the way he ill-treated them.
16:07And now the shoe's on the other foot.
16:09He needs them.
16:10And they're not there.
16:12He's very angry with Keir Starmer.
16:14He said so in as many words.
16:15So much so that Keir Starmer had to, in Britain, they had to come out and say that this language
16:21is completely unacceptable last time.
16:23But this is not UK's war.
16:26And UK understands if they were to get into that, the consequences would be disastrous.
16:31Given the minority population in the United Kingdom, it would be disastrous for France.
16:36France is distancing itself.
16:37All the NATO partners are.
16:40And why?
16:41Because Trump said he'll take Greenland by force.
16:43He didn't want to support them on Ukraine.
16:45And this is something that Donald Trump just doesn't understand, that when he needs them here, none of them, none
16:51of them are there for him.
16:52Right.
16:53In fact, there's a follow-up post to that.
16:55Let me read that out for our viewers as well.
16:56This is one Geetha was mentioning.
16:58He goes on to say,
16:59The country of France wouldn't let planes headed to Israel loaded up with military supplies fly over French territory.
17:05France has been very unhelpful.
17:08He writes in caps lock with respect to the butcher of Iran who has been successfully eliminated.
17:15The USA will remember again in caps lock exclamation three times of that.
17:20And then again, President DJT.
17:23Geetha, correct me if I'm wrong, but this sounds like he's begging for help.
17:28This sounds like he's begging for help.
17:30This is his way of calling out for help from the world because he doesn't seem to be going anywhere
17:34with this war.
17:35Well, he certainly needs that help, Sonal.
17:39The fact that this war could not have and should not have been fought alone, that there should have been
17:45a consultation.
17:45But the fact that President Trump, forget about Europe, did not even consult with the Congress, with the U.S.
17:50Congress,
17:51clearly shows that it was a rather unilateral decision where he did not game the war the way it should
17:57have been gamed.
17:59Should he have involved Europe, maybe there would have been better sense in the way and manner in which they
18:04wanted to take on Iran.
18:06And that's the reason why France and many other European countries do not want to partake in this entire war.
18:13What happens if they do what happens if they do allow their airspace and their bases to be used, then
18:20their assets in West Asia come under attack.
18:23The United Kingdom saw it not so long ago in Cyprus, which again, which which was called a false flag
18:30operation by Iran,
18:32saying that they did not attack it, given the fact that UK had not gotten into or was not a
18:38part of that war.
18:40And while they're saying this, there are certain signals and messaging that is already happening that should they get involved,
18:47their assets in West Asia will come under Iranian attack.
18:51All right. The state of Hormuz is now at the center of this conflict and increasingly turning into a global
18:56flashpoint.
18:57You already know that. But what's happening now?
18:59Iran is now effectively turning Hormuz into a controlled toll route.
19:05Ships are being made to pay for safe passage, with reports suggesting charges going up to $2 million per vessel.
19:13And in some cases, payments are being made in alternative currencies as well, like one.
19:19Iranian forces are now controlling who enters, who exits and on what terms, on what price tag, on what currency.
19:29The impact is already severe, with more than 2,000 ships currently stuck or waiting around the narrow stretch of
19:35the strain,
19:36disrupting global supply chains and energy flows.
19:39So how exactly is this system operating on the ground? How does it work, really?
19:45Now, ship operators are now required to apply through intermediaries linked to Iranian forces,
19:51submitting full details of the vessel, the cargo and the crew.
19:54And this goes through some kind of a scrutiny and check.
19:58Then what happens? Each tanker is then screened before being granted a clearance code, without which entry is denied.
20:07Those that are approved are often escorted through Iranian-controlled waters,
20:12effectively turning a global trade route into a tightly monitored corridor.
20:16In simple terms, no clearance means no passage, but this also raises serious legal questions.
20:25Under the global maritime law, particularly international conventions,
20:30transit through such straits is meant to remain free and uninterrupted.
20:35Tolls and restrictions of this nature are widely considered a violation of those principles.
20:40Iran, however, is defending this move, citing security concerns and arguing that in a conflict scenario,
20:49it has the right to regulate and control access through its territorial waters.
20:54Here's more.
21:07More than a month into the Iran war, now even in America, Trump is feeling the pressure.
21:12According to US media, President Trump is now ready to wind down the US military campaign against Iran.
21:19Trump has reportedly told his top aides he is prepared to end the military conflict with Iran,
21:25even if Hormuz remains shut.
21:27Trump now believes a full-scale operation to reopen the waterway would drag the conflict
21:32beyond his preferred four-to-six-week timeline.
21:35Instead, Trump's focus has shifted.
21:38He may now declare that major military objectives of the US have been achieved,
21:43Iran's navy and missile capabilities stand crippled.
21:47However, Trump continues to push his 15-point plan,
21:50which includes dismantling Iran's nuclear program and limiting missiles.
21:54This is a significant shift from earlier US demands that the strait must be reopened immediately.
22:00To open it up, they have to open up the strait of Trump, I mean, Hormuz.
22:10Meanwhile, Trump's top secretary, Marco Rubio, stated that the Hormuz blockade
22:16the United States military operations are over.
22:19The message from Trump is clear.
22:21America is possibly looking for an immediate exit and is no longer bothered if strait of Hormuz remains open or
22:28not.
22:29Bureau Report, India Today.
22:33So that was the entire story over there.
22:35But we are now beginning to get some visuals from the United States.
22:40This is of a press briefing that will be carried out by Pete Hexer.
22:42We'll, of course, be cutting down to it and bringing you all the very latest as and when that starts.
22:48But let me get back to Gita and Gaurav for more on this.
22:51Gaurav, explain this to me.
22:52When you have this pay-for-passage kind of treatment which is being done by Iran right now,
23:01there are reports that say that this was happening earlier as well.
23:05Now we understand that they've passed a new law in their assembly or in their parliament, really,
23:10so to say, to make it happen officially.
23:12How exactly does this work?
23:14So this is grossly illegal.
23:16Iran cannot do it.
23:18International waters are meant to be free, you know, as per UN clause or UN laws.
23:25There is right to passage.
23:26Sea lanes of communication have to remain open and these are international waters.
23:30These are not territorial waters of Iran.
23:33So what Iran is doing is wrong.
23:35But Iran is now getting away since there's a conflict on.
23:38There's might as right.
23:39People desperately need oil.
23:41Iran controls the north side of the strait of Hormuz.
23:45So they say they will charge money.
23:46And that too, not in American dollars, but perhaps in Chinese currency, in the Chinese yuan.
23:52That's the tricky one.
23:53So that's a huge blow to the U.S. petrodollar.
23:56So in a way, they are challenging the supremacy of the American currency in international trade.
24:02And this would be actually a huge blow should this succeed.
24:07And that is why, should this happen, America will go all out and decimate whatever remains of the regime in
24:13Iran.
24:13And, you know, Iran in a way is taunting the United States.
24:17It's telling the United States there's nothing you can do about it.
24:20Perhaps hoping that it will be backed by countries like Russia and China.
24:24Should that happen?
24:25Will that happen?
24:26We still do not know.
24:27But Americans say intelligence inputs are being given by Russia and China.
24:30What other assistance is being given, logistics and other ways, we have to wait and watch.
24:34But this is a huge provocation, Mayran.
24:36Right.
24:37Geeta, help me understand this.
24:39And you know this better.
24:41We've seen a constant change of goalposts happen from the side of the U.S.
24:46on what exactly this war is for.
24:49It started with change of regime.
24:51Then it went to the state of Hormuz control.
24:54Now it's about, oh, let them, all of that is fine if they just, you know, control their nuclear aspirations.
25:03Is that, does that tell you where or who at the moment has an advantage in this war?
25:12Well, Iran certainly has an advantage because it's controlling one of the key oil supply lines in the world.
25:21And while Gaurav very clearly put out how that is and why that is illegal,
25:26they're also being discriminatory where they're allowing vessels to pass,
25:31not just not the ones that are U.S. flagged or of allies,
25:35which includes the GCC nations because they have all the U.S. bases.
25:39Most of the attacks that took place on Iranian soil came from those U.S. bases.
25:44So none of those tankers are being allowed out.
25:47Having said that, the change in position is something that should not just worry us,
25:53it should scare us, Sonal.
25:55If this war continues for a few weeks more, which might be the case,
26:00we are going to see a collapse like none other.
26:03I was having a conversation with Benjamin Norton,
26:05and he said that this will be the worst or is actually headed to becoming the worst oil crisis
26:12in the history of oil politics, so to say.
26:17But that is only the tip of the iceberg.
26:21It's not just the oil crisis.
26:22We are looking at an economic collapse.
26:24So yes, goalposts have shifted from saying that we want the fall of one butcher of Iran,
26:32which he calls, which is Khamenei, killing of the leadership, decimating the leadership.
26:37Then regime change, not happening.
26:40Shifted to, okay, we are looking at decimating the nuclear plants of Iran,
26:46which, by the way, was something he declared victory over during the 12-day war,
26:51when the B-2 bombers had gone in,
26:53and he said that we have completely decimated their nuclear ambitions.
26:57And then that comes back as being one of the prime objectives this time around.
27:03A lot of people asking, what are you doing?
27:05Now it has moved to opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
27:08Well, the Strait of Hormuz was open and free for all before the war.
27:13So your war, in short, it shuts.
27:15And now your objective is to open it, something that it already was forever.
27:23Now, what has Trump done is more important, Sonal.
27:27He has changed the status of Strait of Hormuz for all times to come.
27:31Whether you like it or not, whether the charge fee after the war ends or not,
27:36the Strait of Hormuz will now become a choke point that Iran will control.
27:42Because of the five conditions Iran has laid down,
27:45one is sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
27:49So you've changed that completely.
27:51You've changed dynamics in West Asia,
27:53where a lot of the Arab world would be questioning America's net security provider status,
27:58given that they are vulnerable.
28:00Bases have been hit.
28:02Civilians have come under threat.
28:04Something that no GCC nation or the Arab world would want to see or answer or be answerable to its
28:10people for.
28:12These are things that he cannot take back or go back on.
28:16This is already done, Sonal.
28:19So, not sure about what this war has achieved.
28:23Clearly an indication of what it hasn't and what it's made worse as of this time.
28:28And this is like the second month into it now.
28:31It's no sign of de-escalation in the West Asia war.
28:34We are now looking at the one-month report of the war being tabled from Washington at this point.
28:43This is from Trump's aide very, very shortly.
28:46U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hexet, is going to be briefing the media there.
28:52And you can see the press room in front of you, where everybody is set.
28:55And he will be tabling that one-month report card.
29:00But that's going to start any minute now.
29:02If I can cut across to Geeta and Gaurav and get more understanding of what this will have.
29:08Gaurav, needless to say that this is going to start by saying we've achieved everything, we've won the war.
29:13That's generally the narrative that comes out of the Trump administration.
29:16It's going to start over there.
29:18But if you were a journalist in that room right now, what question would you ask, Headset?
29:24Their achievements so far in terms of their strategic aims being met.
29:28You know, tactically, they may have met all their goals that this is to be bombed.
29:34Or at least claim to.
29:35But what has it led to?
29:37Have any of the strategic aims been met in one month?
29:41And the answer, sadly, is no.
29:44Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
29:47Bab al-Mandab is facing threat.
29:49World economy is going into global recession.
29:52Is the Iranian regime on its way out?
29:55Clearly no.
29:56The command and control remains intact.
29:58So, tactically, they may have, you know, ticked all the boxes.
30:02But strategically, they haven't achieved any aim.
30:04And that would be my question to Secretary of War Pete Hicks, who apparently, according
30:08to Donald Trump, was the first one to say, let's get into this war.
30:12Let's go and do it.
30:13But let's go and do what?
30:14And that's the question he needs to answer today.
30:17Geeta, you get, you know, about 30 seconds to a minute for any journalist to ask a question.
30:23If you are in that room, what are you asking him?
30:26I would just ask him about gaming the war, the next steps of escalation, because it is
30:32horizontal, it's vertical.
30:35The ground troops, having a ground troops, have you planned it?
30:38Have you gamed the war?
30:40Your forces are going to be sitting ducks on any island should they want to plant their flag
30:46on one of the islands in the strait.
30:48All right, just cut across and see what he has to say.
30:52The opportunity to visit our troops fighting in Operation Epic Fury.
30:57We were in the ground, or on the ground, excuse me, in CENTCOM on Saturday for about half the
31:03day.
31:04For reasons of operational security, so those troops are not targeted, the places and bases
31:10will not be named.
31:13Suffice it to say, the trip was an honor.
31:17I had a chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America.
31:23I witnessed warriors, a brotherhood of men and women, warriors all, active duty guard and
31:31reserve, united in their love for each other, their shared purpose, and their commitment
31:36to the mission.
31:38I witnessed sheer competency.
31:41I watched a private first class confidently calling out an enemy missile trajectory to
31:47a room full of officers.
31:49Everyone focused.
31:50The room was locked in.
31:51Two enemy missiles successfully shot down.
31:55I spoke to Air Force and Navy pilots on the flight line, who every day both deliver bombs deep
32:02into Iran, but also shoot down drones defending their base.
32:07Many had just returned from the skies of Iran and Tehran.
32:12I put on a headset and spoke to one crew in the cockpit, locked and loaded each and every
32:20day.
32:21I witnessed ingenuity, American ingenuity.
32:24I met the young Army officer who figured out how to neutralize maneuvering enemy missiles,
32:29saving countless lives.
32:30His commander confirmed that the whoops and cheers erupted in the tactical operations center
32:36when his new approach was first successful.
32:39I met the Air Force Intel analyst who refines target packages faster than the enemy can adapt.
32:45I actually gave him my card and told him to keep me posted on the ground truth.
32:52I did the same with his boss, a colonel with a heart the size of Texas and a beautiful deployment
33:01mustache to match.
33:04I witnessed lethality.
33:07I met a junior airman as the sun was going down and a chill was setting on the tarmac,
33:13who, when asked what they needed, she simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face
33:20and said, more bombs, sir, and bigger bombs.
33:26We will happily oblige her.
33:30I met the Army targeting team who found and sunk the pride and joy of the Iranian Navy,
33:35their fighting position plastered with images of sunken enemy ships.
33:40And I witnessed urgency.
33:43Right when we landed, another C-17 landed just minutes after us.
33:47And within 30 seconds of the aircraft coming to a full stop, a team on the ground pulled
33:53up and the cargo was being uploaded, wartime speed.
33:57To a man and to a woman on the ground, in the air, on the flight line, and in the
34:03talk,
34:04I heard, we want everything faster, higher op tempo, wartime speed.
34:13The feeling was the exact opposite of the rotational units year after year in the wars in Iraq and
34:19Afghanistan that we're so familiar with.
34:21In those wars, it was always about the next rotation, never knowing when the mission would
34:26end or exactly what the mission was year after year.
34:31Not with epic fury.
34:33I witnessed urgency to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success, not looking at
34:39the next rotation, only moving as fast as possible to win.
34:44I got a chance to troop the line, to witness firsthand what we already know is true.
34:51I spoke to all ranks and all services, none of whom knew we were coming.
34:55It was not rehearsed or scripted.
34:56Sometimes we just wandered.
34:59What I witnessed was motivation.
35:01It was sheer mission focus.
35:04It was the American warrior unleashed.
35:08It was the kind of warfighting American spirit that comes with a clear mission against a determined
35:14enemy.
35:15A crew chief we flew with summed it up nicely.
35:19He said, it's been a busy few weeks, sir.
35:21Tough stuff.
35:22But I'm so honored to be called up.
35:24This fight is long overdue.
35:26We need to address it for our kids.
35:30We cannot pass the buck.
35:32Please thank the president from us.
35:35I heard that time and time again.
35:38I asked each young American, what do you need?
35:41And nobody said better equipment.
35:43Nobody said more comfortable living conditions.
35:46Nobody said send me home.
35:48Well, of course, eventually we want all those things.
35:51They do, too.
35:53But what those Americans said to me, young and old, officer and NCO, male and female, black
36:00and white, was let's finish the mission.
36:04Get us even more bombs, bigger bombs, more targets.
36:07Let us finish this.
36:10In fact, Admiral Cooper noted this morning that the three Air Force captains shot down
36:15by Kuwaiti friendly fire early in the fight weeks ago.
36:19They never left the theater.
36:22All dropped bombs over Iran last night.
36:27These men and women live the Iranian threat every day, incoming missiles and drones, and
36:32know what a world looks like, what the world would look like if Iran had the most dangerous
36:37weapons in the world, a nuclear weapon.
36:40As President Trump has said time and time again for years, and in this administration,
36:44Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and they won't.
36:48These troops, they want to finish this fight for their kids and their grandkids.
36:52This is about history.
36:54This is about legacy.
36:57Success matters.
36:58And because of this president and these Americans, we're closer than ever before to winning.
37:05President Trump is doing what no other president had the guts to do.
37:10Previous presidents were all talk.
37:14He's all action.
37:16On the battlefield, because of the latitude the president has given us, American firepower
37:21is only increasing.
37:24Iran's decreasing.
37:26We have more and more options, and they have less.
37:29Just one month in, only one month, we set the terms.
37:35The upcoming days will be decisive.
37:37Iran knows that, and there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it.
37:42Yes, they will still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down.
37:47Of note, the last 24 hours saw the lowest number of enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran.
37:54They will go underground, but we will find them.
37:59We recently destroyed another one of their command bunkers.
38:02Leaders forced to flee.
38:04No water, no power, no oxygen, no command and control.
38:08Their faith in their caves diminishing.
38:12The latest intel is clear out of CENTCOM.
38:15Our strikes are damaging the morale of the Iranian military, leading to widespread desertions,
38:21key personnel shortages, and causing frustrations amongst senior leaders.
38:27Just last night, we had 200 dynamic strikes alone.
38:32Dynamic strike is a strike where a pilot leaves, and during their flight, they get a new target
38:36set based on real-time intel given to them.
38:40A new launcher, a new location, a new troop formation.
38:43A dynamic target is one that changes while you're in the air because of improved intelligence.
38:47200 dynamic strikes alone, in addition to the pre-plant targets.
38:52The video the president posted last night of Esfahan, an ammo depot struck by U.S. bombers.
38:59You see, you don't get to see many of those videos because, as a reminder, Iran has still
39:05shut off the internet to 99.9% of its population.
39:10But if Iran is wise, they will cut a deal.
39:15President Trump doesn't bluff, and he does not back down.
39:18You can ask Khomeini about that.
39:20The new Iranian regime should know that by now.
39:23This new regime, because regime change has occurred, should be wiser than the last.
39:31President Trump will make a deal.
39:33He is willing.
39:34And the terms of the deal are known to them.
39:37If Iran is not willing, then the United States War Department will continue with even more intensity.
39:46Standing here this morning, in this briefing room, in my mind's eye, I'm actually looking
39:52out at the groups I met this weekend.
39:54The pilots, the logisticians, the intel analysts, the targeters, the sustainers, the flight crews,
40:02the air defenders, the base security, those maintainers who we walked up at sunset with the chill in
40:11the air on the flight line.
40:13May God watch over all of them, each day and each night.
40:19May his almighty and eternal arms of providence stretch over them and protect them and bring
40:25them peace in the name of Jesus Christ and amen.
40:31As operations continue, I remain deeply grateful for the service and determination of 2.8 million
40:38members of our joint force, each of whom are serving something greater than themselves.
40:43Every day, those deployed and in many cases, those at home who are deploying forward and bomber
40:49pulses and others put themselves in harm's way.
40:52And we owe them a deep debt of gratitude.
40:54I remain especially grateful for our fallen who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
40:59We'll never forget their valor and their determination to do something greater than themselves.
41:06And each day, we continue to earn what they've given to us.
41:10This morning, I want to share that yesterday, the joint force had the honor of participating in
41:15the burial of Colonel Clarence Emel Bud Anderson, who passed away in May of 2024 at the ripe old
41:23age of 102.
41:25He was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery yesterday morning alongside his wife of 70 years, Eleanor,
41:32who he married on February 23, 1945.
41:36She passed away in 2015 at the age of 92.
41:40Bud yesterday, a legend to our Air Force and fighter pilots everywhere, was honored with a
41:45combination flyby of F-35s and a four-ship of P-51 Mustangs.
41:50He was one of the most prolific flying aces of World War II and the highest-scoring P-51 ace
41:56with
41:5616 and a quarter kills in his squadron and in his group.
42:01And he served from 1942 to 1972.
42:05And his last combat tour was flying F-104 Thunder Chiefs over North Vietnam.
42:11For anyone that had the chance to meet Colonel Anderson, you knew what an incredibly special
42:16man he was.
42:17And that's true for each and every one of our World War II vets who become fewer and fewer
42:23with each passing day.
42:25They are the greatest generation and give us the gift of an incredible example as we execute
42:31Operation Epic Fury today.
42:33And Colonel Anderson, we mourn for your loss and remember that smile on the right side as
42:40you went out to do our nation's business.
42:42I'd like to now share an operational update.
42:45Our Joint Force continues to focus on our military objectives as we systematically continue
42:50to degrade and destroy Iran's ability to project power and threaten stability beyond its borders.
42:57First, the Joint Force continues to destroy Iran's ballistic missile and UAS capabilities.
43:04We remain focused on interdicting and destroying the logistical and supply chains that feed these
43:10programs.
43:11And this remains a truly joint effort prosecuted around the clock from air, land, sea, space,
43:18and cyberspace.
43:19Long-range bombers from U.S. Strategic Command are coordinating with tactical fighter aircraft
43:24from our Joint Force launched from bases around the region and the continental United States.
43:29While simultaneously, Navy fighters from the sea and sailors continue to project power from
43:36the sea, while Army and Marine artillery units continue to execute long-range precision fires
43:42deep into enemy territory against high-value targets.
43:46Meanwhile, on the defense side, our Army and air defenders and aviators, as the Secretary talked
43:51about, remain vigilant, forming a shield to protect our forces and our partners, intercepting missiles
43:57and drones.
43:58Together, we continue to deliver precision strikes against key manufacturing nodes, component storage
44:05sites, research facilities deep within Iranian territory.
44:09And over the past 29, I'm sorry, 30 days, we've struck more than 11,000 targets.
44:15Given the increase in air superiority, we've successfully started to conduct the first
44:21overland B-52 missions, which allow us, as we've said before, to continue to get on top
44:27of the enemy.
44:29And as the Secretary talked about, switch towards more and more dynamic targets, servicing mobile
44:37targets around the battle space.
44:40We've continued to do the work against Iran's missile, drone, and naval production facilities,
44:45and we continue the multi-domain pressure that we've talked about.
44:49Second, on the Navy front, we continue to assert dominance over the Iranian Navy.
44:54We remain focused on targeting their mine lane capability, their naval assets, and we've now,
45:01as I mentioned briefly last time, started to work attack helicopters and other close air
45:05support assets into the naval domain.
45:08CENTCOM continues to identify and work against naval depots and storage areas.
45:14And we've taken out, again, more than 150 ships, including all Jameran-class frigates inside
45:21their Navy.
45:22Third, we continue to prosecute our campaign against our defense industrial base at scale.
45:28This includes factories, warehouses, nuclear weapons research and development labs, and the
45:33associated infrastructure required for Iran to reconstitute its combat capability.
45:40I'd like to continue my theme of highlighting the incredible contributions of American
45:46point force.
45:47Today, I want to talk a little bit about a different front line, a line that doesn't have bunkers
45:53or guard posts, but is just as critical to our nation's security, our national assembly lines.
46:00Today, I want to recognize a group of Americans who live at the beginning.
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