Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Declares Iran Offensive Only the Opening Phase of Sustained Military Campaign

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says 50,000 U.S. troops have hit 3,000 targets in Iran. Read about the plan for unconditional surrender in Operation Epic Fury.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 4:41 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Yeni Şafak

The Commencement of a Multi-Phased Offensive

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has provided a stark assessment of the ongoing military operations against the Islamic Republic, describing the current strikes as merely the beginning of a much larger campaign. In a high-profile interview with CBS’s "60 Minutes," Hegseth emphasized that the joint U.S.-Israeli offensive is specifically designed to systematically dismantle Tehran’s ability to project power across the Middle East. According to the Secretary, the strategic objective is not a limited engagement but a sustained effort to ensure that Iranian military influence is permanently diminished. This rhetoric suggests that the Pentagon is prepared for a long-term commitment to "Operation Epic Fury" until its primary security goals are achieved.

Scale and Intensity of Operation Epic Fury

The sheer scale of the American military involvement has been clarified by the Pentagon, which confirms that more than 50,000 U.S. personnel are currently active in the theater of operations. As of last Friday, coalition air power had already successfully engaged approximately 3,000 targets within Iranian territory, ranging from command centers to critical infrastructure. Hegseth characterized the combined aerial capabilities of the United States and Israel as "overwhelming," asserting that the technical and numerical superiority of the coalition has placed the Iranian defense apparatus under unprecedented strain. The intensity of these strikes is intended to overwhelm the Revolutionary Guard's ability to coordinate a coherent national defense.

The Doctrine of Unconditional Surrender

Reaffirming the hard-line stance of the Trump administration, Secretary Hegseth stated that the ultimate goal of the campaign is the unconditional surrender of the Iranian leadership. The defense secretary noted that the operation is proceeding according to a meticulously planned schedule, with the intent of rendering Iranian forces completely incapable of continuing any form of hostilities. By setting the terms of the engagement, the United States aims to dictate the post-war regional order. Hegseth dismissed any notions of an imminent ceasefire, suggesting instead that the coalition will maintain its current tempo until the Iranian government officially "cries uncle" and ceases all military resistance.