Pete Hegseth, the Minister of the U.S. Ministry of National Defense (War Department), said in connection with the U.S. military operation against Iran now in its sixth day that the United States has gained the upper hand against Iran and will continue concentrated strikes.
On the 4th (local time), Minister Hegseth held a briefing at the Pentagon with Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and said, "Under the direct command of President Trump, the United States is winning decisively and destructively, and without mercy."
He added, "It has been only four days since the operation began, but the results are not only remarkable, they are historic," and emphasized, "Only the United States, only we, can lead this."
He also said, "The two most powerful air forces in the world will completely dominate Iranian airspace, and this will be uncontested air dominance," adding, "This will be completed within days."
This is interpreted to mean that Iran's air defense network will be neutralized, allowing U.S. and Israeli forces to move through Iranian airspace virtually unhindered to carry out operations such as destroying missile bases and the defense industry.
Minister Hegseth said, "Iran's leaders will look up to the sky every day, every minute, and see only our and Israel's air power," adding, "B-2, B-52, and B-1 bombers and attack drones will dominate the sky, select targets, and deliver death and destruction all day long."
In addition, Minister Hegseth said that the day before, a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean sank an Iranian warship.
He said, "A U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters," adding, "This is the first time since World War II that a hostile ship has been sunk by a torpedo."
He also said that the commander of an Iranian unit that tried to assassinate President Donald Trump was killed.
Minister Hegseth said, "We will take all the time necessary to ensure success," adding, "We could say (the operation will take) four weeks, but it could be six weeks, eight weeks, or three weeks."
Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), addressed concerns that a drawdown in U.S. ammunition stockpiles might constrain the operation, saying, "We currently have sufficient precision munitions for the mission on both the offensive and defensive sides."
He then explained, "We will strike deeper inland into Iranian territory," but brushed off the possibility of deploying ground forces as "a matter for policymakers."