The U.S. Ministry of National Defense said there is no separate timeline set for ending the military conflict with Iran, and whether to conclude the war depends on President Donald Trump's judgment.
U.S. Minister of National Defense Pete Hegseth said at a briefing on the 19th (local time) with the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chair Dan Caine, "The mission given by the president remains the same as on day one."
Hegseth emphasized, "There is no change to the current objectives, and we are continuing precision strikes according to plan." He added, "The core goals are to neutralize missile launchers and Iran's defense industrial base so they cannot be rebuilt, eliminate naval power, and ensure Iran does not possess nuclear weapons."
He also said, "We will not set a clear deadline for when the war ends," adding, "The point at which we judge that we have achieved the objectives we need ultimately depends on the president's decision."
Some results of the military operations were also disclosed. Minister Hegseth said more than 7,000 targets have been struck so far, resulting in roughly 90% decreases in both Iran's ballistic missile attacks and one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks.
He further emphasized that Iran's naval power has also taken significant hits. "We have sunk more than 120 Iranian naval vessels, and 11 submarines are also gone," he said.