Joint Press Conference by Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Emphasizes "This is not an endless war"
Full mobilization from aircraft carriers and fighter jets to aerial refueling tankers
Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense, stated regarding the military operation against Iran, named "Epic Fury," that "Iran is not Iraq." This is interpreted as an effort to quell concerns that the war will become protracted as Iran mounts retaliatory attacks.
On March 2 (local time), Secretary Hegseth held a joint press conference at the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters with Dan Cain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and said, "This is not an endless war like Iraq," emphasizing this point.
Secretary Hegseth said, "There are no foolish rules of engagement, no quagmire of nation-building, no crusade for democracy, and no politically correct war," adding, "We are fighting to win. We do not waste time or lives."
The goal of this military operation is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons... Suggests possible ground operations
Regarding the military operation against Iran, he stated, "The mission is clear. We will destroy Iran's missiles, missile production facilities, naval and other security capabilities, and they will never possess nuclear weapons."
He continued, "President Donald Trump has consistently acted to prevent a mad regime like Iran from being deluded into acquiring nuclear weapons," and reiterated, "We can no longer tolerate Iran’s pursuit of nuclear arms."
This is the first time Secretary Hegseth has made a statement regarding the airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28. As Iran launched retaliatory attacks by targeting U.S. military bases in the Middle East following the airstrikes, it appears he stepped before the press to address concerns of a prolonged war.
Regarding the nuclear negotiations with Iran, Secretary Hegseth said, "Iran dragged out the talks not to negotiate, but to buy time to increase its missile stockpiles and resume its nuclear ambitions," adding, "President Trump did not fall for these 'games.'"
However, Iran took a different stance on the nuclear negotiations. On this day, Majid Takhtravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, criticized in an interview with CNN, "The United States committed a serious crime while negotiations were still ongoing," claiming the attack was abrupt and unprovoked.
Deputy Minister Takhtravanchi said, "We were engaged in serious negotiations with the United States in Geneva, Switzerland, mediated by the Omani Foreign Minister. Suddenly, immediately after the talks ended on Saturday (February 28), we were faced with blatant aggression committed by the United States and Israel," emphasizing, "Every action we take is a defensive measure against U.S. targets and assets in the region."
When asked whether ground troops had been deployed to Iran, Secretary Hegseth replied, "No. But I will not specifically discuss what we will or will not do going forward," adding, "President Trump has made it clear to our enemies that we will go as far as necessary to advance U.S. national interests."
U.S. mobilizes full combat capability..."The mission has only just begun"
This military operation has mobilized all branches of the armed forces, involving thousands of troops, hundreds of advanced fighter jets, dozens of aerial refueling tankers, and aircraft carrier strike groups led by the Lincoln and Ford carriers.
Dan Cain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who joined Secretary Hegseth at the press conference, commented, "This operation once again demonstrated the scope, readiness, expertise, and capability of U.S. joint and combined forces."
He continued, "Not only was the scale of the operation historic, but the level of integration across all elements of the joint forces was also unprecedented," adding, "This mission is just beginning and will continue."
Chairman Cain revealed that the B-2 bomber, which participated in last year’s "Midnight Hammer" operation, conducted a 37-hour round-trip sortie from the U.S. mainland to drop precision-penetrator bombs on Iran's southern front and underground facilities. On June 22 of last year, the United States had launched a surprise attack on three of Iran's nuclear facilities under the operation code-named "Midnight Hammer."
Chairman Cain emphasized the defensive capabilities of U.S. Navy destroyers, asserting that the United States maintains superiority in the conflict. U.S. Navy destroyers are equipped with Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot missile batteries. In addition, such capabilities have been further deployed to U.S. military bases across the Middle East during the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Chairman Cain stated, "These systems have intercepted hundreds of missiles," and although "Iran's drone threats persist, we are effectively responding through rapid target engagement."
He added, "Those who test our resolve or threaten the United States, our allies, or our interests should be clearly aware: we can reach you and continue the fight."
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