Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine gave a blunt update on Operation Epic Fury, framing it as an intense, early-stage campaign led by President Trump and carried out alongside Israel. Their briefing stressed rapid escalation, airspace dominance, and a focus on dismantling Iran’s missile, drone, naval, and industrial capabilities. Hegseth warned this is no moment for complacency and called the situation a reality check rather than a “Mission Accomplished” moment. The message was clear: America and its partner Israel are applying overwhelming force to finish the job on terms favorable to the United States.
Hegseth opened by reminding the public how recent the operation is and why that matters to interpreting results. He emphasized the scale of the effort and credited decisive presidential leadership for the campaign’s swift tempo. The tone was unapologetically forceful and designed to underscore that this administration intends to finish what it starts.
With one unmistakable message about Operation Epic Fury. America is winning: decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy. Under the direct command of President Trump, the War Department unleashed this operation early Saturday morning — just four days ago. Which means we need to remember two things: First, we are only four days into this. Metrics are shifting, dust is settling, and more forces are arriving. It’s very early, and as President Trump has said, we will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed.
Second: we are only four days into this. And the results have been incredible. Historic really. Only the United States of America could lead this — only us. But when you add the Israeli Defense Forces, a devastatingly capable force, the combination is sheer destruction for our radical Islamist Iranian adversaries. They are toast. And they know it. Or at least, soon enough, they will know it.
And we have only just begun to hunt, dismantle, demoralize and destroy and defeat their capabilities — just four days in.
Hegseth detailed how air dominance will factor into sustained pressure on Iran’s military infrastructure and leadership. He painted a picture of relentless operations day and night, using a full range of air assets to find and finish targets. The implication was that control of the skies allows the United States and Israel to degrade Iran without a large ground footprint, while still setting the terms.
Starting last night, and to be completed in a few days, in under a week, the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies – uncontested air space. I hope all the folks watching understand what uncontested airspace and complete control means. It means we will fly all day, all night, day and night, finding, fixing, and finishing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military. Finding and fixing their leaders, and their military leaders. Flying over Tehran, flying over Iran, flying over their capital, flying over the IRCG, Iranian leaders looking up and seeing only U.S. and Israeli air power, every minute of every day, until we decide it’s over. And Iran will be able to do nothing about it.
B-2s, B-52s, B-1s, Predator Drones, Fighters, controlling the skies, picking targets. Death and destruction from the sky. All. Day. Long.
The briefing stressed an accelerated posture rather than a pullback, with authorities and rules of engagement described as intentionally robust. Hegseth compared the current air effort to past campaigns and emphasized the availability of large precision weapons stocks. The point was to reassure that the campaign can be sustained and intensified as needed without immediate logistical strain.
We’re playing for keeps. Our war fighters have maximum authorities granted personally by the president and yours truly. Our rules of engagement are bold, precise, and designed to unleash American Power, not shackle it. This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be.
Thus far, Operation Epic Fury has delivered twice the air power of Shock and Awe of Iraq in 2003, minus Paul Bremer and the nation building. The campaign has seven times the intensity of Israel’s previous operations against Iran during the 12-Day War. Seven times. And as President Trump said, more and larger waves are coming, we are just getting started. We are accelerating, not decelerating. Iran’s capabilities are evaporating by the hour, while American strength grows fiercer, smarter, and utterly dominant. More bombers and more fighters are arriving just today.
And now, with complete control of the skies, we will be using, 500 pound, thousand pound, and 2,000 pound GPS and laser-guided precision gravity bombs, of which we have a nearly unlimited stockpile. We used more exquisite stand off munitions at the start, but no longer need to. Our stockpiles of those, as well as patriots remain extremely strong. The enemy can no longer shoot the volume of missiles they once did, not even close. And the chairman will lay out some of those percentages. So our air defenses, and that of our allies have plenty of runway. We can sustain this fight easily, for as long as we need. And as I said yesterday, we set the terms.
The administration is framing the campaign as surgical but relentless, designed to remove Iran’s capacity to threaten the region and to prevent a nuclear breakout. Hegseth portrayed Iranian command and control as degraded and their forces as demoralized, arguing that leadership losses and the destruction of key platforms have left Tehran scrambling. The intent is a crippling blow that leaves no doubt about who controls the outcome.
Now, you may not see much of it, because the IRCG shut off the internet to the entirety of the country. They blind their people on purpose, just like they kill their own on purpose. Much was made of the volume of missiles Iran was able to shoot in the first few days. And sadly, as we projected, a few got through and killed six of our best, who will hopefully arrive home soon. We will avenge them. No doubt.
But I liken Iran’s predicament to a football team who’s scripted the first 20 plays of a game. The team knew what plays to run because their first few drives were scripted. But now that the game has started, and the blitz is on, they don’t know what plays to call, let alone how to get in huddle and call those plays. Iran’s senior leaders are dead. The so-called governing council that might have selected a successor: dead, missing, or cowering in bunkers too terrified to even occupy the same room. Senior generals, mid-level officers, enlisted ranks, they can’t talk or communicate, let alone mount a coordinated or sustained offensive. That’s not great for morale. The Iranian Air Force is no more. Built for 1996, destroyed in 2026. The Iranian Navy now rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf, combat ineffective, decimated, destroyed, defeated, pick your adjective. In fact, last night we sunk their prize ship: The Soleimani. Looks like POTUS got him twice. Their navy, not a factor, pick your adjective, it is no more. In fact, yesterday, in the Indian Ocean (and we’ll play it on screen there), an American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo, quiet death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win.
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Hegseth also announced the elimination of the plotter who allegedly targeted President Trump, presenting it as a straight answer to direct threats. The broader theme returned to decisive action and irreversible outcomes. Hegseth made it plain that this administration views restraint in the face of clear threats as unacceptable.
Also, yesterday, the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed. Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh.
Hegseth reiterated that while no campaign can stop every attack, the strategic aim is clear: destroy Iran’s missile and drone production, annihilate its navy, and cut off the pathway to a nuclear weapon. He framed this as setting permanent, enforceable terms that prevent Tehran from reconstituting a similar threat. The briefing emphasized layered defenses and a priority on protecting American forces as offensive operations continue.
Now, this is not a “Mission Accomplished” situation. This is simply a reality check.
The combination of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and combat power will control Iran and will control it soon.
Sure, Iran will still be able to shoot some missiles, and still be able to launch one-way attack drones at civilian targets. And their proxies will attempt to attack our embassies, bases, and soft targets. They are terrorists, after all, and they need to target civilians: because they cannot fight toe-to-toe. We will find them, and we will kill them. This is what the fake news misses. We’ve taken control of Iran’s airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. We control their fate. But when a few drones get through, or tragic things happen, it’s front page news. I get it, the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality. The terms of this war will be set by us at every step.
As I said Monday, the mission is laser-focused: Obliterate Iran’s missiles and drones, and facilities that produce them, annihilate its Navy and critical security infrastructure, and sever their pathway to nuclear weapons. Iran will never possess a nuclear bomb not on our watch, not ever.
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The chairman’s briefing was more concise and focused on logistics and honoring the fallen, while opening for questions from the press. Officials stressed protection for troops, sustainment of offensive operations, and coordination with Israel. The overall Republican framing remained straightforward: decisive action, layered defense, and a commitment to win this fight on American terms.
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