US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has insisted that ongoing American military operations against Iran are not intended to become an “endless war”, describing the campaign as focused and decisive. Speaking at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the objective was to dismantle Tehran’s missile capabilities, naval power and key security infrastructure. His remarks came amid intensifying hostilities in West Asia following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in Israeli strikes last week.
Earlier, the US President issued a sharp warning to Iran, saying the United States has not yet used its full military strength and suggested that a larger strike could be imminent as the conflict escalates in the Middle East.
‘Clear & Decisive Mission’
Addressing reporters on Monday, Hegseth said the United States was pursuing a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” aimed at neutralising what he described as Iran’s missile threat.
“The goal is to destroy the missile threat, destroy its navy and ensure no nukes,” he said during a press conference at the Pentagon.
He rejected suggestions that Washington was seeking regime change. “This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it,” Hegseth added.
His comments follow last week’s joint US-Israel military operation, during which Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli strikes. Iran confirmed his death on Sunday.
Iran Vows Revenge
Tehran has vowed to avenge Ayatollah Khamenei’s death. Within hours of confirming his killing, Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, significantly raising tensions across the Gulf.
Iranian officials warned that continued US and Israeli action could push the region towards full-scale war, a scenario they said they had previously cautioned against.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that the bombing campaign against Iran is expected to continue for at least another “four to five weeks”, signalling that military operations may intensify before any potential de-escalation.
Meanwhile, Iran has maintained that it will continue to defend itself against what it calls external aggression. Security chief Ali Larijani blamed Trump directly, accusing the US President’s “delusional ambition” of bringing the Middle East to the brink of a wider war.
The exchange of threats and continued military activity have deepened fears of a broader regional conflict, with global powers closely monitoring developments.
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