Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine outlined the progress of U.S. military operations against Iran during a briefing, saying American forces have struck thousands of targets and are continuing to dismantle the country’s military infrastructure as the conflict enters its tenth day.
Opening the briefing, Hegseth described the broader context of the confrontation with Iran and accused the regime of decades of violence through regional proxies while pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.
“Our generation understands this fight. For 47 years, these barbarians have been murdering your guys, our guys, via their proxies. Now they are racing toward a nuclear bomb. They have murdered thousands of my brothers. President Trump will not allow this now. Not ever. As they are cowards, they fire missiles from schools and hospitals, because they know their military is being targeted.”
Hegseth continued by asserting that Iran is increasingly isolated and losing ground in the conflict.
“Iran stands alone and they are badly losing. On day 10, we are winning. Our standards are the same as my previous report here. We will destroy their missile stockpiles and their ability to make them. Destroy their navy and their ability to make nuclear missiles forever.”
He added that the campaign is being carried out to fulfill the objectives set by President Trump.
“As President Trump declared, we will not let that happen again. Those days are dead. We are winning and accomplishing the president’s objectives. This is our job.”
Gen. Dan Caine then addressed the sacrifices made by American service members during the war and emphasized that those who lost their lives will not be forgotten as operations continue.
Speaking about the ongoing campaign, Caine said that U.S. forces are expanding their attacks deeper into Iran’s defense and industrial infrastructure.
“We are continuing our mission – going deeper into Iran’s military and industrial base, to ensure peace in years to come.”
He reported that thousands of targets have already been struck during the campaign.
“Today we struck more than 5,000 targets, GPS penetrating weapons. We also struck drone factories, and of course, our regional partners continue to intercept. Our strikes mean we made significant progress in missiles out of Iran.”
Caine also detailed efforts aimed at crippling Iran’s naval capabilities.
“We are making significant progress in destroying the navy. We struck and sank an Iranian ship and continue to target other ships. We focus on centers of gravity to prevent them from continuing one-way attacks. This is gritty and tireless work and I am proud of our forces. They are a world-class team.”
He praised the troops carrying out the mission, emphasizing their dedication and professionalism.
“These are dedicated young people who are doing the work that we need them to do.”
Caine concluded his remarks by acknowledging the difficulty of the ongoing mission and paying tribute to those serving in uniform.
“Our work continues. It continues to be difficult. Please keep our forces in your thoughts. I remain deeply humbled by the 2.8 million members of the forces, as well as the memories of the fallen.”
Hegseth also issued a warning directed at Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, cautioning him against advancing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
He said that Khamenei “would be wise to heed the words of our President not to pursue nuclear weapons.”
When asked how long the operation might last, Hegseth responded that the United States currently holds a strong strategic position and that the final timeline will be determined by President Trump.
He noted that the U.S. was “in a very strong place, giving the President a lot of options,” and clarified that “we haven’t stated how long it would take. Our will is endless. Ultimatly the President gets to determine the end state of those objectives. But what he said continuously is that this is not endless, it’s not protracted; the President has set a very specific mission to accomplish.”
Addressing questions about differences between American and Israeli targets, particularly Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel depots, Hegseth stressed the close cooperation between the two allies while noting that each country maintains its own objectives.
“Israel has been a very strong partner in this effort. Where they’ve had different objectives, they’ve pursued them, and we’ve stayed focused on ours. But what Iran has felt is the power of the world’s two most powerful air forces.”
He added that American operations were not aimed at those fuel facilities.
“That wasn’t our objective.”
Hegseth also responded to critics within the United States who oppose the military operation, saying the administration is acting decisively and independently.
“The President has made it clear that we’re not getting pulled in any direction, we’re leading. The President is leading, he’s determining where we want to go, what the outcome will be.”
He acknowledged that many Americans remain wary after years of U.S. involvement in conflicts across the Middle East, which he said had often drawn the country into prolonged wars.
Discussing Iran’s attacks against other countries in the region, Hegseth called the moves a strategic miscalculation that exposed the regime’s desperation.
He described the attacks as a “big mistake on Iran’s part” and said they “expose who they really are.”
He added that while the U.S. had considered such retaliation possible, Iran’s actions ultimately strengthened cooperation between Washington and its regional partners.
“I can’t say that we anticipated that that’s exactly how they would react, but we knew it was a possibility. I think it was a demonstration of the desperation of the regime then and now, that they still think their pathway out is to try to alienate their Arab partners even more, who instead came to us, and were willing to go on the offense and have given us access to fly over them.”
According to Hegseth, the situation has fostered a new level of regional collaboration.
He said this has created “a new partnership that will continue making the region the way that President Trump did with the Abraham accords.”
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday evening that Israel’s state budget will be rushed through approval with major changes to reflect the financial burden of the war, including the cancellation of certain benefits previously slated for the public.
In a joint statement, the two leaders explained that the revised budget will prioritize a substantial increase in defense spending, redirecting resources toward the war effort while eliminating several programs that had been intended to benefit citizens.
Minister Smotrich explained: “Against the backdrop of the existential war we are waging to destroy the Iranian axis of evil, we are now convening for the immediate passage of the state budget, at the center of which will be the required addition to the defense budget to finance the war.”
He added, “In order to succeed in this mission, we are now setting aside issues that are in dispute and are not appropriate during wartime. We are putting aside the Draft Law, which will not be advanced at this time, as well as several reforms around which we have not yet reached broad agreement. War is a time for unity and national responsibility, and I thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, and all members of the government and the coalition.”
Smotrich said that quickly approving the budget is essential both for the military campaign and for the country’s long-term economic direction.
He further stated: “Passing the budget immediately will allow us, with God’s help, to win the war, provide better services to Israel’s citizens in many areas, establish a new regional order in the Middle East with the State of Israel as a regional and global power at its center, and place Israel on a path of accelerated growth, development, and prosperity in the coming years. Together, Mr. Prime Minister, we will, with God’s help, win the war and win in the economy.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed the need for extraordinary wartime spending, emphasizing that the ongoing conflict requires significant financial resources.
Netanyahu added: “We are in a campaign against a cruel enemy that seeks to destroy us. We had to launch this campaign. But it costs a lot of money. Therefore we are required to allocate a special budget during the war-tens of billions of shekels-to support the defense budget and the war effort.”
{Matzav.com}
The White House said Tuesday evening that the United States will not tolerate any disruption to maritime traffic in the Middle East, warning that attempts to block the movement of oil or goods through key waterways will draw a severe military response.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued the statement amid rising tensions in the region, stressing that Washington is determined to safeguard the free passage of shipping lanes that are critical to global energy supplies.
Leavitt said the United States is taking action to ensure that energy resources continue to reach the country and its allies without interference.
“The United States and all our allies can receive their energy needs. President Trump will not allow rogue Iranian terrorists to strop the freedom of navigation and the free flow of energy,” Leavitt said.
She also warned Tehran against attempting to obstruct shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime routes for global oil shipments.
“If they (Iran) do anything to stop the flow of oil or goods within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the world’s most powerful military 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” she threatened.
Leavitt also addressed concerns about rising fuel costs, acknowledging that the conflict has led to higher prices but saying the situation is expected to stabilize once military objectives are met.
She added that “the increase in gas prices is temporary and in the long term prices will fall. Once the military goals are achieved, we will live in a world where Iran can no longer threaten.”
{Matzav.com}
Israel’s Transportation Ministry has launched an investigation after approximately 90 yeshiva bochurim departed on a flight to Poland, reportedly in violation of Home Front Command restrictions. The probe follows media reports that the group traveled to attend the yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk.
Ben Gurion Airport turned into a scene of turmoil on Monday after hundreds of passengers found themselves stranded at check-in counters following sudden changes to passenger limits. While El Al had received special approval the previous day to board up to 200 passengers on some flights, the permitted number was reduced again Tuesday morning to just 50 passengers. The abrupt reversal sparked widespread frustration among travelers who arrived at the airport only to discover they could not board their flights. Ground staff reported scenes of passengers losing their composure, and in some cases confrontations occurred between police and frustrated travelers.
Amid the chaos, reports circulated online that about 90 talmidim from Yeshivas Oryasa in Yerushalayim had managed to depart for Poland ahead of the yahrtzeit of Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk, which is the night of the 21st of Adar.
Following the report, Transportation Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken instructed the head of the Airports Authority to conduct an urgent investigation and submit findings within 24 hours.
The development raised questions in several media outlets, particularly on the political left, about how such a large group was allowed to board a flight under the strict wartime limitations.
In response to the growing controversy, the Transportation Ministry issued a sharply worded statement emphasizing that airlines are not permitted to board more than 100 passengers on departing flights, in accordance with directives from the Home Front Command and the security establishment.
“We demand that airlines comply with the regulations and ensure passenger safety,” the ministry said.
While government authorities and airline officials debate the rules, hundreds of travelers remained stranded at closed check-in counters at Ben Gurion Airport in what many described as a day that turned from a rescue operation into a transportation fiasco.
{Matzav.com}
