Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon on a day when the Iranian death toll surpassed 1,000 and the United States sank a warship operated by Tehran near Sri Lanka, the Pentagon said six U.S. service members had so far lost their lives.
On the fifth day of the war against Iran, Hegseth acknowledged that some strikes could still hit their targets, even as he asserted that America’s military superiority is quickly giving it control of the Islamic Republic’s airspace. The United States has spared “no expense or capability” to upgrade air defense systems to protect American forces and allies in the Middle East, Hegseth told reporters.
“This doesn’t mean we can stop everything, but we made sure that the maximum possible defense and maximum force protection was established before we went on the offensive,” he said.
The acknowledgment that additional drone or missile strikes in the region could cause damage to troops comes as US President Donald Trump and top defense leaders warned that more US casualties were expected in a conflict that could last months.
The United States will take “all the time” necessary to ensure the success of the war with Iran
The United States “will take as much time as we need to ensure success,” Hegseth said Wednesday, adding that “Iran cannot survive us.”
He stated that the United States is winning its military operation against Iran “decisively, devastatingly and ruthlessly.” While more forces, including fighter jets and bombers, will arrive in the region, Hegseth said, “We will take as much time as we need to make sure we are successful.”
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On the fifth day of the ongoing conflict, a U.S. submarine fired a torpedo that sank an Iranian warship Tuesday night, marking what Hegseth called the first such attack against an enemy since World War II.
“A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. “Instead, she was sunk by a torpedo.”
The vessel, identified as IRIS Dena, was one of Iran’s newest warships. Sri Lanka said its navy and air force rescued 32 of the 180 people on board after the ship reported distress off its southern coast.
‘Win the military operation without mercy’
Hegseth said the United States is winning its military operation “decisively, devastatingly and ruthlessly.”
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Iran is firing fewer missiles than at the start of the war on Saturday, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at the same news conference, adding that Iran’s military capabilities were “greatly diminished as the United States expands its attacks inside Iran.”
When will the war end?
The Defense Secretary also pointed to a possibly longer timeline for the conflict than the Trump administration had previously proposed, saying it could last eight weeks, but that the United States has the ammunition and equipment to defeat Iran in a war of attrition.
He did not set a specific time range, saying the specific duration of the war will depend on how it plays out. “You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” he said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and pace. The enemy is off balance and we’re going to keep them off balance.”
Hegseth said U.S. forces began the campaign with advanced weapons and now plan to switch to gravity bombs after “securing control of Iranian skies.” He said advanced weapons stockpiles remain “extremely strong.”
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General Caine said US forces have adequate ammunition for ongoing operations against Iran.
An Israeli military official had said that senior US and Israeli officials began planning the attacks about three weeks ago. The war has killed more than 1,000 people in Iran and dozens in Lebanon, while disrupting the world’s oil and gas supplies and stranding thousands of travelers in West Asia.
