Washington: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday spoke to widening concerns that the US-Israeli strikes in Iran could spiral into a protracted regional conflict by declaring, “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.”
Hegseth, along with Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held the Trump administration’s first news briefing since Saturday’s strikes. President Donald Trump, while he’s conducted a few phone interviews with individual reporters, has not taken questions on camera and only released two videos since the operation began.
Hegseth said the operation had a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” to “destroy the missile threat” from Iran, destroy its navy and “no nukes.”
“No stupid rules of engagement, no nation building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win, and we don’t waste time or lives,” Hegseth said.
Asked if there are currently boots on the ground in Iran, Hegseth said, “No, but we’re not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do.”
He said it was “foolishness” to expect US officials to say publicly “here’s exactly how far we’ll go.” He also suggested the US was not seeking to change the Iranian regime with the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it,” Hegseth said.
The briefing comes as the conflict has intensified into a wider war in the region. Iran and its allied armed groups have launched missiles at Israel, Arab states and US military targets in the Middle East.
Four American troops have been killed in action. Trump on Sunday predicted there would be more US casualties.
Caine on Monday said the US expected to have additional losses. “We grieve with you, and we will never forget you,” he said of the family members of those killed.
The latest sign of the escalating upheaval came when US ally Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” three American fighter jets during a combat mission as Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones were attacking.
US Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely from the American F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition.