Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, advising him to heed U.S. messages and avoid pursuing nuclear weapons.
Speaking during a press briefing, Hegseth said U.S. strikes have significantly degraded Iran’s missile and drone capabilities while signaling that the campaign will intensify if necessary.
Operation epic fury objectives
Hegseth outlined the goals of Operation Epic Fury:
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Destroy Iran’s missile stockpiles, launchers, and defense industrial base.
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Destroy Iran’s navy.
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Permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons.
He emphasized that the U.S. is conducting operations on its own timeline, with highly refined intelligence, the largest number of fighters, bombers, and strikes deployed to date.
“Today will be yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran,” Hegseth said, calling the campaign unrelenting and decisive.
Iranian missile activity
Hegseth noted that while Iranian forces remain capable of firing missiles, the number of launches has been the lowest since the start of the war.
He attributed the reduced activity to the “efficacy” of U.S. strikes, which he claims have degraded Iran’s missile and drone capabilities by 90%.
When asked about Iran’s new supreme leader, Hegseth said Khamenei “would be wise” to follow former President Donald Trump’s warning not to pursue nuclear weapons.
He also threatened that Iran will be struck “harder than ever” if it attempts to block the flow of oil through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
Hegseth briefly mentioned a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that it was made clear Russia should “not be involved” in the ongoing conflict.
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