Pentagon Calls Iran War ‘Historic Victory’ But Warns Threat Remains/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the Iran war a U.S. victory. Officials acknowledged Iran still has missiles and drones. U.S. forces remain ready as a fragile ceasefire continues.
Pentagon Iran War Quick Looks
- Pentagon calls Iran war “historic victory”
- Iran still retains missile capability
- US forces remain ready to resume combat
- Ceasefire described as temporary pause
- 13 US service members killed
- Uranium removal part of ceasefire claims
- Strait of Hormuz reported open
- US prepared to strike infrastructure
- Thousands of Iranian drones still exist
- Military remains on high alert
Deep Look: Pentagon Declares Victory in Iran War but Warns Threat Persists
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the U.S. war with Iran a “historic and overwhelming victory” Wednesday, while acknowledging that Iran still retains the ability to launch attacks as a fragile ceasefire takes hold.
Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth praised Operation Epic Fury, saying the campaign significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities.
“Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield,” Hegseth said. “By any measure, Epic Fury decimated Iran’s military and rendered it combat ineffective for years to come.”
However, U.S. intelligence assessments indicate Iran still maintains substantial military capacity. Reports suggest roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact, along with thousands of one-way attack drones.
Hegseth acknowledged the remaining capability but minimized the threat.
“They can still shoot, we know that,” he said. “Their command and control is so decimated they can’t really talk and coordinate.”
US Forces Ready to Resume Combat
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine emphasized that the ceasefire remains temporary and U.S. forces are prepared to resume operations if necessary.
“A ceasefire is a pause,” Caine said. “The joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations.”
Caine also honored the 13 U.S. service members killed during the conflict, highlighting the human cost of the operation.
Defense Secretary Hegseth echoed those remarks, saying U.S. forces will remain vigilant during the ceasefire period.
“We’ll stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant,” Hegseth said, adding that troops are prepared to defend or restart operations at a moment’s notice.
Uranium Removal Claims
Hegseth also said the ceasefire includes removing nuclear material Iran “should not have,” though Iran has not confirmed those terms.
“Any nuclear material they should not have will be removed,” Hegseth said.
He added that Iran would voluntarily hand over uranium stockpiles or face further U.S. action if necessary.
“We’ll get it, we’ll take it, we’ll take it out,” Hegseth said, referencing previous U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
US Prepared Major Strikes
Hegseth revealed that the U.S. had prepared to carry out President Donald Trump’s threat to strike Iranian infrastructure if negotiations failed.
Targets included bridges, power plants, and energy infrastructure.
“We had a target set, locked and loaded,” Hegseth said, adding that the threat helped push Iran to negotiate.
He said the warning that the U.S. could cripple Iran’s energy exports played a major role in reaching the ceasefire.
Strait of Hormuz Reopens
Officials also indicated the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil route — had reopened following the ceasefire.
Gen. Caine said he believed the strait was open based on diplomatic negotiations.
Hegseth confirmed commerce had resumed.
“Our military is watching … but commerce will flow,” Hegseth said.
Ship-tracking data showed at least two vessels safely passing through the strait, though hundreds of ships remain nearby awaiting stability.
Fragile Ceasefire Continues
Despite claims of victory, officials emphasized the ceasefire remains fragile.
Iran still possesses missile and drone capabilities, and U.S. forces remain on alert.
With negotiations ongoing and military forces positioned across the region, the situation remains tense.
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