- By Priyanka Koul
- Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:22 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that military operations against Iran would not result in an "endless war," emphasising that the goal was to dismantle Tehran's missile capabilities, navy, and other security infrastructure.
Hegseth on Monday described the mission as having a “clear, devastating, decisive purpose” to “eliminate the missile threat” from Iran, destroy its navy, and ensure “no nukes.”
He also warned that US-Israeli strikes in Iran could escalate into a prolonged regional conflict, asserting, “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.”
Hegseth, alongside Air Force General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conducted the Trump administration's first news briefing following Saturday’s strikes.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has not held a press conference or taken questions on camera, opting instead for a few phone interviews with individual reporters and releasing only two videos since the operation began.
Hegseth reiterated that the operation had a "clear, devastating, decisive mission" to “destroy the missile threat” from Iran, eliminate its navy, and prevent nuclear capabilities.
"This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it," Hegseth remarked.
The briefing was held as the conflict intensified, becoming a broader war in the region. Iran and its allied armed groups have launched missiles at Israeli, Arab, and US military targets across the Middle East.
Four American soldiers have been killed in action, and Trump predicted on Sunday that further US casualties were likely.
General Caine said on Monday that the US expected additional losses.
“We grieve with you, and we will never forget you,” he expressed to the families of the fallen.
One of the latest signs of escalating chaos came when Kuwait, a US ally, “mistakenly shot down” three American fighter jets during a combat mission as Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones were attacking.
US Central Command confirmed that all six pilots from the downed American F-15E Strike Eagles had safely ejected and were in stable condition. US officials have yet to offer any exit strategy or indicate that the conflict will end soon, with the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei further destabilising the region and increasing uncertainty about the future of the Islamic Republic.
US officials have not provided an exit strategy or indicated when the conflict may end. The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has thrown the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty, further destabilising the region.
Hegseth accused the Iranian regime of starting the conflict, stating that for 47 years it has “waged a savage, one-sided war against America.”
“Their war on Americans has become our retribution against their Ayatollah and his death cult,” Hegseth said.
He did not cite any immediate nuclear threat from Iran but reiterated that last summer's strikes by the US and Israel had “obliterated their nuclear programme to rubble.”
Instead, Hegseth pointed to other weapons, such as ballistic missiles and drones, as the basis for the operation.
“Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions,” he stated.
ALSO READ: Gaza's Lifeline Cut As Israel Closes Borders, Fuel And Food Supplies Hit
He also mentioned that Iranian officials had been “stalling” during talks with US representatives prior to the attack.
In an interview with The New York Times on Sunday, President Trump stated that the ongoing conflice could last “four to five weeks.”
The president revealed that the US and Israel had already targeted hundreds of sites, including bombing Iranian missile facilities and striking its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and several warships.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that at least 555 people have died in Iran as a result of the US-Israeli strikes. In Israel, 11 people have been killed, and 31 fatalities have been reported in Lebanon, according to local authorities, as reported by the Associated Press.