Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed on Wednesday that US forces had achieved a “historic and overwhelming victory” against Iran, but said military assets would remain in the region to ensure Tehran’s new leaders abide by the terms of a temporary peace deal between the nations.
“We’re going to move around. We’re not going anywhere,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon press conference a day after President Donald Trump announced a two-week pause in fighting amid peace talks. “Our troops are ready to defend, ready to go on the offensive, ready to relaunch at a moment’s notice if any target package is required.”
Trump earlier on Wednesday wrote on social media Both countries have already agreed on several provisions of the initial 15-point peace plan.
But Hegseth’s belief that the large-scale military operation is in its waning days – he repeatedly referred to Operation Epic Fury in the past tense – contrasts with comments from Vice President J.D. Vance, who called the situation in the Middle East a “fragile ceasefire” that could evaporate in the coming days. Vance is stumping for far-right candidate Viktor Orban in Hungary.
Hegseth said he was confident the agreement would hold because of the dominance of US military forces over the past six weeks.
“In less than 40 days, Central Command destroyed the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, one of the world’s largest armies, using less than 10 percent of America’s total combat power,” Hegseth said. “Iran proved completely incapable of defending itself. … Along with our Israeli allies, America’s forces achieved every single objective.”
General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said US forces have struck more than 13,000 targets since the military operation began on February 28. This includes “about 80 percent of Iran’s air defense systems, more than 1,500 air defense targets, more than 450 ballistic missile storage facilities, 800 one-way attack drones.”
That work also included more than 700 strikes against naval mine targets in the Strait of Hormuz, which Kane estimated amounted to 95 percent of Iran’s stockpile.
Hegseth said he was confident that under the terms of the ceasefire, shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz would now be fully reopened. About 25 percent of global crude oil trade passes through the waterway, and its closure during the war has led to rising energy prices around the world.
The defense secretary rejected reports of continued attacks overnight by Iranian proxies in the region, saying they were not a violation of the peace deal. But he also warned that “Iran would be wise to find a way to deliver carrier pigeons to its troops in remote locations,” as the U.S. military stands ready to respond if needed.
