WASHINGTON, D.C. – US Central Command now confirms in total six US service members have died following Operation Epic Fury, the joint military operation with Israel, which struck Iran. The Pentagon said more casualties could happen and didn’t specify how long US operations in Iran could last.
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the US continues to carry out large scale military operations in Iran following this weekend’s initial strike. HE said bigger waves of strikes against Iran are coming.
“An Iranian regime with access to nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the region but also to the American people,” the President said at a Medal of Honor Ceremony on Modnday.
In a press briefing early Monday morning, the Pentagon said more US forces will head to the Middle East.
“The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser focused,” said Sec. Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense. “Our goal is to destroy their missile production, destroy their navy, and they will never have nuclear weapons.”
Officials said the military operation is in its early stages. They said no US troops are on the ground in Iran, but declined to give a time frame for bringing the operations to an end.
“President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take,” said the Secretary. “Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks. It could move up, it could move back. We’re gonna execute at his command the objectives we’ve set out to achieve.”
This weekend’s strike eliminated Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled with an iron fist for decades. The administration said Iran’s regime has been targeting US military interests and threatened the safety of Americans.
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change,” Sec. Hegsesth said.
Critics of the operation are warning this operation could lead the US into another long-lasting war, like Iraq.
“This is not Iraq,” said the Secretary. “This is not endless. I was there for both. Our generation knows better and so does this President.”
The President has told the Iranian people to seize the moment and to take back control of their government. We will continue to monitor the latest.
