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LIVE: Iran War Briefing Held by Hegseth in the Pentagon

The Pentagon held a live briefing on the ongoing Iran conflict, branding the campaign as Operation Epic Fury. Senior officials, including Secretary Hegseth, emphasized that the combined U.S.‑Israeli air effort has delivered more than 15,000 strikes in just under two weeks, targeting air defenses, naval assets, missile launchers and industrial sites. The briefing cited dramatic degradation of Iran’s warfighting capacity: air‑defense systems are described as nonexistent, the navy rendered combat‑ineffective, and missile and drone inventories cut by roughly 90 percent. Officials also claimed the complete destruction of Iran’s ballistic‑missile production lines and warned that the regime lacks the ability to rebuild its defense industry. The update noted collateral incidents—a KC‑135 tanker crash in Iraq and a fire aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford—underscoring the operation’s risk. Notable remarks included the stark description of Iran’s leadership as “wounded, disfigured and hiding,” and a rallying call from troops: “More rounds, sir.” The speaker highlighted the youthful composition of artillery units, praising their professionalism and the confidence of their commanders, while also stressing the unprecedented sortie tempo and integration of AI, cyber and space assets. The briefing signals a decisive shift in U.S. strategy: sustained kinetic pressure to neutralize Iran’s ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, deny any nuclear pathway, and force a diplomatic resolution on U.S. terms. The narrative also serves domestic political objectives, portraying the conflict as a swift, overwhelming victory that reinforces American military dominance.