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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Tuesday that regime change in Tehran has effectively "occurred," warning that the coming days will be "decisive" as Operation Epic Fury enters a high-intensity phase.
Hegseth asserted that American firepower is only increasing while Iran’s military capacity collapses, issuing a direct ultimatum to the new leadership: "If Iran is wise, they will cut a deal."
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine revealed the U.S. has struck more than 11,000 targets and destroyed more than 150 ships in 30 days of Operation Epic Fury, and Hegseth declared regime change in Iran has "occurred."
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Hegseth, delivering his first Pentagon briefing in nearly two weeks, told reporters: "The upcoming days will be decisive. Iran knows that, and there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it. American firepower is only increasing. Iran's decreasing. We have more and more options, and they have less."
He referred to Iran's new government as a "new regime" and said regime change "has occurred" in Iran. He said Trump "doesn't bluff" and is ready to make a deal, but warned: "If Iran doesn't make a deal, the war will continue with more intensity."
Hegseth also noted that the past 24 hours saw the lowest number of enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran, and said Iranian military morale is being damaged, causing desertions and frustration among military leaders.
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine said U.S. forces have struck more than 11,000 targets over the past 30 days in Iran, including key manufacturing sites, research nodes and uranium-related facilities.
"The joint force continues to destroy Iran's ballistic missile and UAS capabilities," Caine said.
"Over the past 30 days, we've struck more than 11,000 targets. We've taken out again more than 150 ships," he added.
Caine noted that the U.S. forces are not only destroying capabilities but "intercepting supply chains" feeding Iran's ballistic missile and drone programs.
He confirmed that B-52s are now conducting overland missions, a move he cited as evidence of U.S. air superiority. He added that the U.S. "continues to assert dominance" over the Iranian navy while executing precision strikes deep within the country.
Hegseth said he visited U.S. troops under CENTCOM's area of responsibility on Saturday for approximately half a day. He declined to disclose locations for operational security reasons.
"Suffice it to say, the trip was an honor. I witnessed the best of America," he said.
Hegseth described conversations with pilots, logisticians, intelligence analysts and air defenders, saying he asked each service member what they needed. "Nobody said better equipment. Nobody said more comfortable living conditions. Nobody said, 'Send me home.' But what those Americans said to me, young and old, officer and NCO, male and female, Black and White, was, 'Let's finish the mission. Get us even more bombs, bigger bombs, more targets. Let us finish this,'" Hegseth said.
He said he witnessed two missiles shot down during his visit and met personnel who "had just returned from the skies of Iran."
Three Air Force captains who were shot down by Kuwait in a friendly fire incident earlier in the war never left the Middle East, Hegseth said, and dropped bombs over Tehran the previous night.
He contrasted the troops' morale with the "exact opposite" spirit of Iraq and Afghanistan, noting that, unlike those conflicts, these forces see a clear finish line.
"Not with Epic Fury. I witnessed urgency to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success, not looking at the next rotation, only moving as fast as possible to win," he said.
A crew chief flying with Hegseth relayed a message of resolve: "It's been a busy few weeks, sir. Tough stuff. But I'm so honored to be called up. This fight is long overdue." The airman added that the mission was for the next generation, telling the secretary, "We cannot pass the buck. Please thank the president from us."
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