Washington DC: Even as many of Donald Trump’s countrymen, fellow-politicians and others around in the globe are questioning his decision to attack Tehran and eliminate Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that military operations against Iran won’t lead to an “endless war”.
At a press conference on Monday morning (local time), Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury had a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” to “destroy the missile threat” from Iran, destroy its navy and “no nukes.”
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change and the world is better off for it,” Hegseth said at the Pentagon.
“We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically,” Hegseth added.
He went on to say that the war against Iran is not an effort to build democracy in the Islamic Republic.
“No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise. No politically correct wars. We fight to win, and we don’t waste time or lives,” Hegseth stated.
However, Hegseth refused to give a timeline for the completion of the operation, as it was up to President Trump to decide.
Even as he spoke about not ‘wasting lives’, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the death of a fourth service member due to injuries from Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
“As of 7:30 am ET, March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to injuries,” CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.
The service member was killed in the same incident in Kuwait that earlier claimed the lives of three others, according to an American official who spoke to CNN.
Trump vows revenge
Trump vowed to avenge the deaths of American soldiers, but warned against ‘likely more’ deaths of US troops.
In a video address to the nation on Sunday, Trump accused the Iranian government of “waging war against civilization itself.”
Lamenting the deaths and injuries to US troops, Trump said, “We grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.”
He called for prayers for “the full recovery” of those who were seriously wounded before the warning. “Sadly, there will likely be more (deaths) before it ends. That’s the way it is likely to be more. But we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”