US Warns of "Largest Strike Package" Against Iran, Claims Decisive Victory on Its Terms
In a significant development from the Pentagon, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning on Thursday, stating that Iran will face the "largest strike package yet" today. He asserted that the United States is winning the ongoing conflict "decisively and on our terms," marking a bold declaration in the escalating tensions.
Operation Epic Fury: A Laser-Focused Campaign
Addressing a briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth detailed the military campaign, code-named Operation Epic Fury, describing it as "laser-focused" and "decisive." He emphasized that the objectives, set directly by the America First President, have remained unchanged since the start of operations on February 28. "Epic Fury is different. It's laser-focused. It's decisive. Our objectives, given directly from our America First President, remain exactly as they were on Day One...We're winning -- decisively and on our terms," Hegseth stated, underscoring the strategic consistency of the US approach.
Overwhelming Force Applied with Precision
Since the conflict began, the US has struck over 7,000 targets across Iran, including military and energy infrastructure. Hegseth highlighted that this is not an incremental effort but an application of overwhelming force with precision. "To date, we've struck over 7,000 targets across Iran and its military infrastructure. That is not incremental. That is an overwhelming force applied with precision. And again, today will be the largest strike package yet, just like yesterday was. As I've said from day one, our capabilities continue to build. Iran's continued to degrade. We're hunting and striking, bringing death and destruction from above," he elaborated, painting a picture of sustained and escalating military pressure.
Significant Degradation of Iranian Military Capabilities
Hegseth provided specific details on the degradation of Iran's military capabilities:
- Air Defenses: Flattened, rendering Iran vulnerable to aerial attacks.
- Missile and Drone Production: Severely damaged, with hundreds of defence industrial bases directly hit.
- Ballistic Missile Manufacturing: Hardest hit, leading to a 90% reduction in ballistic missile attacks against US forces since the conflict began.
- Naval Losses: Over 120 Navy ships damaged or sunk, with 11 submarines destroyed and military ports crippled.
He added, "Iran's air defence is flattened. Iran's defence industrial base, the factories, the production lines that feed their missile and drone programs, being overwhelmingly destroyed. We've hit hundreds of their defence industrial bases directly. Their ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles has probably taken the hardest hit of all. Ballistic missile attacks against our forces are down 90 per cent since the start of the conflict."
Additional Military Operations and Strategic Impact
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine provided further insights, noting the use of 5,000 lb penetrator weapons on underground storage facilities for coastal defence cruise missiles. "We continue to hunt and destroy mine storage facilities, naval ammunition depots, and afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 minelayers. We're flying further east and penetrating deeper into Iranian airspace to neutralise one-way attack garrisons, destroying Iran's ability to project power outside its borders," Caine explained, highlighting the depth and scope of US operations.
Background and Regional Implications
The conflict escalated on February 28 with the killing of Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel. In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruptions in waterways and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability. As a result, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply. Following Khamenei's death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
Pentagon officials emphasized that US operations are ongoing, with capabilities continuing to build. They described the strikes as a sustained effort to decisively degrade Iran's military infrastructure and limit its ability to attack US forces or regional partners, underscoring the long-term strategic goals in the region.
