The U.S. military will remain in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure Tehran complies with the cease-fire, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
The Pentagon on April 8 said that the U.S. military has accomplished its objectives in Iran, but is ready to “resume combat operations,” if needed.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters a day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a two-week cease-fire that Iran’s military capabilities have been decimated, with its missile program being “functionally destroyed.”
“Together with our Israeli partners, America’s military achieved every single objective on plan, on schedule, exactly as laid out from day one,” Hegseth said.
The secretary of war called Operation Epic Fury “a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield,” noting that the United States, in fewer than 40 days, used less than 10 percent of its total combat power to dismantle “one of the world’s largest militaries.”
“Iran’s Navy is at the bottom of the sea—whether it’s the Soleimani class, their frigate class, their prized drone aircraft carriers, submarines, mine layers—sunk,” Hegseth said.
“Iran’s Air Force has been wiped out. Iran no longer has any sort of a comprehensive air defense system. We own their skies. Their missile program is functionally destroyed. Launchers, production facilities, and existing stockpiles depleted and decimated and almost completely ineffective.”
He added that the Iranian military’s command and control “is so decimated they can’t really talk and coordinate,” meaning that there may be some limited shooting, “but that would be very, very unwise.”
Also present at the press briefing was Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told reporters that the Pentagon welcomed the cease-fire but that U.S. forces are ready to resume combat missions if necessary.
“We hope that Iran chooses a lasting peace,” Caine said.
“Let us be clear: A cease-fire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready—if ordered or called upon—to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision as we’ve demonstrated over the last 38 days.”
The remarks came after Trump threatened the bombing of Iran’s power plants and bridges unless Tehran agreed to the complete and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
