Pete Hegseth, the head of the Pentagon, says that the US did not start the current war with Iran, but that President Donald Trump is now ending it. Hegseth called the U.S.-Israeli strikes that started on Saturday a “decisive response” to years of Iranian attacks on American interests and troops around the world. This was his first briefing since the strikes began.
Hegseth says that the U.S. goal is to “destroy the missile threats, destroy the navy, [and ensure] no nukes” in Iran. He says the war is not about changing the regime, even though Iran’s supreme leader and other high-ranking officials have died, which has changed the regime anyway.
When the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Saturday, Iran quickly retaliated and brought more Middle Eastern countries into the fight. At least four American soldiers died in Kuwait, which shows how many lives the campaign cost.
Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said that cyber operations and kinetic strikes have both messed up Iran’s command, communications, and sensor networks. Caine said that Iran or its proxies should not retaliate any more because U.S. Central Command is on high alert for attacks.
After months of diplomatic efforts to prevent the war from spiraling further failed, Pete Hegseth and Dan Caine are now leading the push to sell the Trump administration’s “end the war” narrative. They are actively framing the campaign as precise, tightly scoped, and deliberately avoiding any open‑ended nation‑building project in Iran.
Hegseth actively dismisses fears that the conflict will drag on indefinitely, insisting that operations remain focused and bound by a clear time frame. Caine actively warns that the U.S. “expects to take more losses,” but he also actively commits to minimizing casualties and managing the risks as the strikes continue.
Experts say that the death of Iran’s supreme leader and the US-Israeli campaign getting worse could change the Middle East’s security structure for years to come. Oil markets, regional alliances, and proxy wars involving groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis are all under more stress.
The Trump administration is framing the strikes as a long-term security win, saying that making Iran’s missiles, navy, and nuclear plans less powerful will make the area safer. However, skeptics warn that the very real risk of long-term instability in the region and civilian deaths could undermine that story over time.
