U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday placed Israel at the center of Washington’s military campaign against Iran, calling it “a true ally with real capabilities” as the two militaries operate in close coordination.
(Footage: Reuters)
Speaking at the Pentagon during a briefing on Operation “Lion’s Roar,” Hegseth praised Israel in contrast to other Western allies. Israel, he said, is “a true ally with real capabilities, unlike some of our traditional allies who just whine and call to end the war.”
He stressed that the campaign is not about democracy promotion or regime engineering, even as he argued that developments inside Iran are significant. “The objective is not regime change,” Hegseth said, “but the regime in Iran is changing, and the world is better off for it.” Rejecting comparisons to past U.S. conflicts in the Middle East, he pushed back against critics warning of a prolonged war.
“To the media outlets and political left screaming ‘endless wars,’ stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless,” Hegseth said. “Our generation knows better and so does this president.” He added: “No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically-correct wars. We fight to win.”
Hegseth described the past several days as the largest air assault in history, following 47 years in which, he said, Iran’s regime threatened both the United States and Israel. “This will not be an endless war,” he said, responding to criticism in the United States after four American troops were killed. “The operation has one goal: an Iran without nuclear weapons and without ballistic weapons. We are fighting to win and not wasting time or lives.”
“We did not start this war, but under President Trump we are ending it,” he added. “If you attack Americans, we will hunt you down, strike you and ultimately kill you. Iran cannot obtain nuclear weapons. It is basic logic. Their attacks on shipping lanes and their ballistic missile arsenal cannot continue.”
He said the previous Iranian leadership “had every opportunity to make a deal but stalled to realize its nuclear ambitions. President Trump is not playing that game.” Asked whether U.S. forces are operating on the ground in Iran, Hegseth said they are not but declined to rule out that possibility. “No, but we are not going to get into questions of what we will or will not do,” he said. At one point, appearing irritated, he added: “Why would we tell you, the enemy or anyone else what we will or will not do in pursuit of our objectives?”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine underscored the operational coordination with Israel, saying U.S. aircraft and naval forces acted in concert with the Israeli military. “At 3:38 p.m. on Friday, February 27, U.S. Central Command, through the secretary of defense, received final authorization from President Trump,” Caine said. “The president ordered, and I quote, Operation ‘Epic Fury’ is approved. There are no cancellations. Good luck.”
Caine said the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and other units “worked in extraordinary coordination with the IDF,” adding that the enemy “was surprised and confused” due to the forward movement of U.S. forces. “When the operation began, the skies were ablaze with fire from our aircraft and ships, in coordination with the Israeli military,” he said. “We remain focused on the fight, and it is not ours alone.” He noted that interception batteries in Riyadh and across the region demonstrated years of defensive preparedness, and said additional U.S. forces are on their way to the Middle East. The United States expects further casualties as the conflict expands, he added, calling it “the price of war.”
Meanwhile, satellite imagery company Planet released images Monday showing damage to a U.S. base in Kuwait struck Sunday, as well as damage to facilities used by the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Images from Kuwait showed roofs of several buildings collapsed or punctured, while in Bahrain visible damage was seen at naval facilities.