Biggest Iran Strikes Today: Pete Hegseth Says 7,000 Targets Hit, War Ends only On US terms
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that American forces have so far hit more than 7,000 targets inside Iran and that the day’s strikes would be the most intensive yet.
Speaking at a briefing, Hegseth said Thursday’s operation would resemble the previous day’s “largest strike package” but go further. “Our capabilities continue to build, Iran’s continue to degrade,” he said. Iran’s air defence systems, he added, have been “flattened.”
He pointed to strikes on Iran’s military assets at Kharg Island as giving Washington control over the country’s fate. No timeline was offered for ending the conflict. When asked how close the US is to meeting President Trump’s objectives, Hegseth said: “We don’t want to set a definitive time frame on that” while insisting operations remain “on plan.”
Remains Brought Home
Hegseth opened his briefing by noting that he and President Trump were present Wednesday as the remains of US soldiers killed in Iran were returned home. He said families of the fallen urged the administration not to stop “until the job is done.” “Of course, we will finish this. We will honour their sacrifice,” Hegseth said.
Pushing Back on ‘Forever War’ Coverage
Addressing the American public directly, Hegseth rejected media characterisations of the conflict as an open-ended engagement. He accused parts of the press of framing it as “an endless abyss” or a “forever war,” calling such portrayals flatly wrong.
Stated Objectives
Hegseth said US goals have not shifted since the first day of the conflict: destroy missile launchers, dismantle Iran’s defence-industrial base, neutralise its navy, and prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon.
He claimed Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks against US forces have dropped 90% since the war began, and that Iran’s capacity to produce new ballistic missiles has likely taken the hardest hit. He also said the US has damaged or sunk at least 120 Iranian naval vessels the surface fleet is “no longer a factor,” and Iran’s 11 submarines are “gone.”
‘Temp Jobs’ at the Top
Hegseth described senior positions within Iran’s military as increasingly short-lived. “The last job anyone in the world wants right now” is a command role in the Iranian military, he said, calling such posts “temp jobs.” He compared Iran’s military investment strategy heavy spending on tunnels, rockets, missiles and drones to Hamas in Gaza, and said US forces are targeting those assets “methodically, ruthlessly and overwhelmingly.”
Also Read: Europe, Japan Condemn Iran Over Gulf Attacks, Vow Action To Keep Hormuz Open
Funding the Fight
Before wrapping up, Hegseth addressed a Washington Post report that the Pentagon has requested additional war funding from the White House. He acknowledged the reported $200 billion figure “could move, obviously,” and did not dispute the report outright. “It takes money to kill bad guys,” he said, adding that US forces must be “properly funded” for whatever comes next.
Allies and the Nuclear Question
On partnerships, Hegseth called Israel an “incredible and capable” partner since day one, and said Gulf states have stepped up “incredibly,” pulling them “squarely into our orbit.” He argued that Iran’s refusal to abandon nuclear ambitions makes it not merely a regional problem but “a direct threat to America, to freedom and to civilisation.”
He closed by saying the world, European allies, and “even segments of our own press” should be thanking President Trump for his handling of the conflict.