Washington, April 8: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asserted that the operation dubbed “Epic Fury” against Iran was successful, claiming that the U.S. and Israel achieved their intended goals. According to Hegseth, discussions with Iran’s “new regime” are on the right track.
During a joint press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Hegseth and General Dan Keen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained the reasons behind the recent ceasefire.
Hegseth emphasized that former President Trump had the power to cripple Iran’s economy within minutes but chose not to do so. He stated that Trump deliberately showed restraint, as Iran accepted the ceasefire under pressure. The U.S. could have inflicted significant damage but opted for a pause instead.
According to Hegseth, Iran’s new government has realized that conflict would yield no benefits, making a compromise the better option. The new administration has learned from its past circumstances and understands that this agreement means they will “never possess nuclear weapons.”
The U.S. claims to have devastated one of the world’s largest military forces. Hegseth proudly noted that “Operation Epic Fury” utilized only 10% of its combat capacity in less than 40 days to dismantle “one of the world’s largest armies.”
He asserted that Iran failed to defend itself, and the U.S.-Israeli joint operation achieved “every objective as planned and on schedule” against Tehran.
Hegseth stated, “Iran’s navy has sunk… They no longer have an air defense system… Their missile program has been completely destroyed.”
General Dan Keen added that U.S. forces attacked over 13,000 sites in Iran, destroying 80% of air defense systems, more than 90% of naval fleets, and over 90% of weapon factories.
He further remarked, “It will take Iran several years to prepare for any significant retaliation. This ceasefire is merely a pause.” Keen assured that if an order to resume military operations is given, the forces are ready to respond.
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