War Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Thursday that the US military is “establishing total dominance” over Iran, which allows the timeline for achieving President Trump’s objectives to be “ours and ours alone.”
Hegseth described the six-day campaign against the Iranian regime, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, as being “nothing short of devastating” with “precise strikes taking out the better part of Iran’s navy, making it combat ineffective, neutralizing missile sites and launchers, and establishing total dominance over the skies we fly over and seas we fly over.”
“Our forces are executing with unmatched skill and the mission is advancing decisively,” the Pentagon chief said during a press briefing at US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Tampa, Fla. “This is the kind of no nonsense, results driven warfighting that America demands.”
Hegseth was adamant that there is “no shortage of American will” to take on the Iranian regime, despite the loss of six American service members in Kuwait – Capt. Cody Khork; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor; Sgt. Declan Coady; Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien; and Chief Warrant Officer Three Robert Marzan – to an Iranian drone counterattack on Sunday.
“We remember them, but we remember them by rededicating ourselves even more fervently to this mission.”
The war secretary warned, “Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation.”
Hegseth touted the US firepower — said even more is on the way to the Middle East.
“Our capabilities are overwhelming and gathering still, as are those of our Israeli partners,” he said. “Our munitions are full up and our will is ironclad, which means our timeline is ours and ours alone to control, as long as it takes to ensure the United States of America achieves these objectives.”
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who is leading combat operations in Iran, provided the specifics of the US military’s punishing strikes against the regime.
Follow The Post’s live coverage of President Trump and national politics for the latest news and analysis
“If I could channel my inner Navy officer, we are at full speed ahead in executing orders given by leadership in Washington,” Cooper told reporters gathered at MacDill Air Force Base.
Since Monday, American bombers have struck “nearly 200 targets deep inside of Iran, including around Tehran,” the admiral said.
“In just the last hour, US B2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000 pound penetrator bombs targeting deeply buried ballistic missile launchers,” Cooper revealed. “Notably, we have also struck Iran’s equivalent of Space Command, which degrades their ability to threaten Americans.”
The stats show the effectiveness of the bombing campaign.
“Compared to where we were at its start, ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90% since day one,” Cooper said. “Drone attacks have decreased by 83% since day one.”
Iran’s navy has also been decimated.
“We’re now up over 30 ships” that have been sunk, the admiral boasted, “and in just the last few hours, we hit an Iranian drone carrier ship roughly the size of a World War Two aircraft carrier.”
“And as we speak, it’s on fire.”
The CENTCOM commander explained that the next phase of operations in Iran will be aimed at destroying Iran’s “ability to rebuild.”
“We will systemically dismantle Iran’s missile production capability for the future – and that’s absolutely in progress,” Cooper said, cautioning that this step will “take some time.”
After two-hour meeting with military officials at CENTCOM, Hegseth laughed off the idea that Iranian forces had any chance at mounting a comeback.
“They don’t know what they’re up against,” the war secretary said. “And, if they think they’ve got it solved, they’re wrong.”
