Hegseth says U.S. will negotiate with bomb if needed, as U.S. military announces more strikes

 Hegseth says U.S. will negotiate with bombs if needed, as U.S. military announces more strikes.

Hegseth says U.S. will "negotiate with bombs" if needed, as U.S. military announces more strikes. Weekend, I had the opportunity to visit our troops fighting in Operation Epic Fury. We were on the ground, or on the ground, excuse me, in Sentcomon Saturday for about half the day for reasons of operational security. So those troops are not targeted. The places and bases will not be named. Suffice it to say, the trip was an honor.

I had a chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America. I witnessed warriors, a brotherhood of men and women, warriors all, active duty, guard, and reserve, united in their

love for each other, their shared purpose, and their commitment to the mission.

I witnessed sheer competency. I watched a private first class confidently calling out an enemy missile trajectory.


o a room full of officers. Everyone focused. The room was locked in. Two enemy missiles were successfully shot down. I

spoke to Air Force and Navy pilots on the flight line who, every day, both deliver bombs deep into Iran, but also shoot down drones defending their base.

Many had just returned from the skies of Iran and Thrron. I put on a headset and

spoke to one crew in the cockpit, locked and loaded each and every day. I witnessed ingenuity, American ingenuity.

I met the young Army officer who figured out how to neutralize maneuvering enemy missiles, saving countless lives. His

Commander confirmed that the whoops and cheers erupted in the tactical operations center when his new approach was first successful.

I met the Air Force intel analyst who refines target packages faster than the enemy can adapt. I actually gave him.

My card and told him to keep me posted on the ground truth.

I did the same with his boss, a colonel with a heart the size of Texas.

and a beautiful deployment mustache to match. I witnessed lethality.

I met a junior airman as the sun was going down and a chill was setting on the tarmac, who, when asked what they

needed, she simply looked up at me with a sly smile on her face and said, "More bombs, sir, and bigger bombs.

We will happily oblige her." I met the Army targeting team that found and sunk the pride and joy of the Iranian Navy.

Their fighting position was plastered with images of sunken enemy ships. And I witnessed urgency.

Right when we landed, another C17 landed just minutes after us. And within 30 seconds of the aircraft coming to a full

Stop, a team on the ground pulled up, and the cargo was being uploaded.

Wartime speed. To a man and to a woman on the ground, in the air, on the flight

line, and in the talk, I heard, "We want everything faster, higher output,

wartime, speed." The feeling was the exact opposite of the rotational units, year after year in

the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that we're so familiar with. In those wars, it was always about the next rotation, never knowing when the mission would end.

or exactly what the mission was. Year after year, not with epic fury, I witnessed urgency.

to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success, not looking at the next rotation, only moving as fast as possible to win.

I got a chance to troop the line, to witness firsthand what we already know is true. Spoke to all ranks and all

services, none of whom knew we were coming. It was not rehearsed or scripted. Sometimes we just wandered. What I witnessed was motivation.

It was sheer mission focus. It was the American warrior unleashed.

It was the kind of warfighting American spirit that comes with a clear mission against a determined enemy.

A crew chief we flew with summed it up nicely. He said, "It's been a busy few weeks, sir. Tough stuff, but I'm so

honored to be called up. This fight is long overdue. We need to address it for our kids.

We cannot pass the buck. Please thank the president for us." I heard that time and time again. I

asked each young American, "What do you need?" And nobody said better equipment.

Nobody said more comfortable living conditions. Nobody said, "Send me home." Well, of course, eventually we want all those things. They do, too.
But what those Americans said to me, young and old, officer and NCO, male and female, black and white, was, "Let's finish the mission.

Get us even more bombs, bigger bombs, more targets. Let us finish this. In fact, Admiral Cooper noted this morning.

that the three Air Force captains shot down by Kuwaiti friendly fire early in the fight weeks ago, they never left the

Theater, all dropped bombs over Thran last night.

These men and women live the Iranian threat every day, incoming missiles and drones, and know what a world looks like, what the world would look like if
Iran had the most dangerous weapons in the world, including nuclear weapons. As President Trump has said time and time again for years, and in this

administration, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. And they won't.

These troops, they want to finish this fight for their kids and their grandkids. This is about history. This is about legacy.

Success matters. And because of this president and these Americans, we're closer than ever before to winning.

President Trump is doing what no other president had the guts to do. Previous presidents were all talk. He's all action.

On the battlefield, because of the latitude the president has given us, American firepower is only increasing. Iran's decreasing.

We have more and more options, and they have fewer. Just one month in, only one month, we set the terms. The upcoming

Days will be decisive. Iran knows that, and there's almost nothing they can militarily do about it. Yes, they will

still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down. Of note, the last 24 hours saw the lowest number of enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran.


They will go underground, but we will find them. We recently destroyed another one of their command.

bunkers. Leaders forced to flee. No water, no power, no oxygen, no command and control. Their faith in their caves is diminishing.

The latest intel is clear out of Sentcom. Our strikes are damaging the morale of the Iranian military, leading to widespread desertions among key personnel.

shortages, and causing frustrations amongst senior leaders.

Just last night, we had 200 dynamic strikes alone. Dynamic strike is a strike where a pilot leaves, and during their flight, they get a new target set based on real-time intel given to them.

A new launcher, a new location, a new troop formation. A dynamic target changes while you're in the air because of improved intelligence. 200


dynamic strikes alone in addition to the pre-planned targets.

Uh, the video the president posted last night of Esvahan, an ammo depot struck by US bombers. You so you see, you don't

get to see many of those videos because, as a reminder, Iran has still shut off the internet to 99.9% of its population.

But if Iran is wise, it will cut a deal. President Trump doesn't bluff, and he does not back down. You can ask Kmeni.

about that. The new Iranian regime should know that by now. This new regime, because regime change should be wiser than the last.


President Trump will make a deal. He is willing, and the terms of the deal are known to them. If Iran is not willing, then the United States War Department

will continue with even more intensity.

Standing here this morning in this briefing room, in my mind's eye, I'm actually looking out at the groups I met this weekend.

the pilots, the logisticians, the intel analysts, the targeters, the sustainers, the flight crews, the air

defenders, the base security, those maintainers who we walked up at sunset with the chill in the air on the flight line.

May God watch over all of them each day and each night. May his almighty and

eternal arms of providence stretch over them and protect them and bring them peace in the name of Jesus Christ and amen. Mr. Chairman, over you.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and good morning, everyone, and thank you again for being here. As operations continue, I remain deeply grateful for the service.

and determination of 2.8 million members of our joint force, each of whom is serving something greater than themselves. Every day, those deployed and


In many cases, those at home who are deploying forward and bomber pulses, and others put themselves in harm's way, and

We owe him a deep debt of gratitude. I remain especially grateful for our fallen who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

We'll never forget their valor uh,, and their determination to do something greater than themselves. And each day we

continue to earn what they've given to us. This morning, I want to share that yesterday the joint force had the honor.

of participating in the burial of Colonel Uh Clarence Emil Bud Anderson, who passed away in May of 2024 at the


ripe old age of 102. He was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery yesterday morning alongside his wife of 70 years, Eleanor, whom he married on February 23rd, 1945.


She passed away in 2015 at the age of 92. Bud, yesterday, a legend to our Air Force and fighter pilots everywhere, was

honored with a combination flyby of F-35s and a four-ship of P-51 Mustangs.

He was one of the most prolific flying aces of World War II and the highest scoring P-51 ace with 16 and a quarter kills in his squadron and in his group.

And he served from 1942 to 1972.

And his last combat tour was flying F104 Thunder Chiefs over North Vietnam. For anyone who had the chance to meet

Colonel Anderson, you knew what an incredibly special man he was. And that's true for each and every one of


our World War II vets, who become fewer and fewer with each passing day. They are the greatest generation and give us.


The gift of an incredible example as we execute Operation Epic Fury today. and Colonel Anderson, we we uh we uh mourn

for your loss and remember that smile on the right side as you went out to do our nation's business. I'd like to now share an operational update. Our

joint force continues to focus on our military objectives as we systematically continue to degrade and destroy Iran's

ability to project power and threaten, uh, stability beyond its borders. First, the joint force continues to destroy Iran's ballistic missile and UAS capabilities.

We remain focused on interdicting and destroying the logistical and supply chains that feed these programs. And


This remains a truly joint effort prosecuted around the clock from air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace. Long


Range bombers from the US Strategic Command are coordinating with tactical fighter aircraft from our joint force launched from bases around the region and the
continental United States. While simultaneously, US Navy fighters, uh, from the sea and sailors continue to project

power from the sea, while Army and Marine artillery units uh continue to execute long-range precision fires deep into


enemy territory again, high-value targets.s Meanwhile, on the defense side, our army, air defenders, and aviators,

The secretary talked about remaining vigilant, forming a shield to protect our forces and our partners, an interceptingn.g


missiles and drones. Together, we continue to deliver precision strikes against key manufacturing nodes,

component storage sites, research facilities deep within Iranian territory. And over the past uh 29, I'm


Sorry, 30 days, we've struck more than 11,000 targets. Given the increase in air superiority, we've successfully.


started to conduct the first overland B-52 missions, which allowed us, as we've said before, to continue to get on top

of the enemy. And as the secretary talked about, switching towards more and more dynamic targets, uh, servicing mobile.


uh targets around the battle space. Uh, we've continued to do the work against Iran's missile, drone, and naval capabilities capabilitiesl.

production facilities, and we continue the multi-domain pressure that we've talked about. Second, on the Navy front,


We continue to assert dominance over the Iranian Navy. We remain focused on targeting their mine lane capability,


their naval assets, and we've now, as I mentioned briefly last time, started to work on attack helicopters and other close air support assets into the naval

domain. SENCOM continues to identify and work against naval depots and storage areas, and we've taken out more

than 150 ships, including all JamaraJamaran-class ships inside their navy. Third, we continue to prosecute our campaign.

against our defense industrial base at scale. This includes factories, warehouses, nuclear weapons research and
development labs, and the associated infrastructure required for Iran to reconstitute its combat capability. Um,
I I 
like to continue, uh, my theme of highlighting the incredible contributions of Americans to our joint force. Today I want to talk a little bit.

about a different front line, a line that doesn't have bunkers or guard posts, but is just as critical to our

Nation's security, our national assembly lines. Today, I want to recognize a group of Americans who live at the beginning of our nation's combat power.


The Americans who actually make our weapons, both inside our defense industrial base nd even more broadly, 
inside our national industrial base. in every military option. We could not and


cannot do our jobs without the men and women across our country who show up every day, around the clock, to a factory


floor, a workshop, a laboratory, who build the weapons and capabilities we need to project American combat power at the time and place of our choosing.


These great Americans, and I've had a chance to spend some time with them when I was in the private sector, are the core of American combat power. They're


The machinists are running high-tech CNC machines, cutting raw blocks of metal into incredibly precise parts. They're


The assembly workers painstakingly take a kit of parts and turn that into a complex guidance system or

precision munition, a rocket motor, a firing jet, or a submarine. or that there are quality assurance technicians
who ensure that when a warfighter pulls a trigger, the weapon works every time.

This can be and is tough and gritty work. It's not a quiet office with a desk and paper, and there's nothing wrong.

with that. But this is exactly the way this group of Americans likes it. I know this. I've seen it myself, and I remain.

deeply honored by that gift. It's often loud and dangerous work demanding requires absolute focus for hours at a

time with deep commitment to get it right every single time. It's hands-on work where one uncaught mistake or

deviation can put an American's life at risk. A single misplaced wire, a microscopic flaw in a weld, incorrectly
A A A 
calibrated sensor could mean the difference between mission success and mission failure. The difference is

measured in the lives of our sons and daughters who we put out around the field, uh, and on the field of battle. We rely on and trust these great.

Americans. And it's not just their manufacturing skill, it's their innovative minds and their entrepreneurial spirit. From those who

build exquisite capabilities down to the mom and pop machine shops all over this great country, they live at the
The The 
beginning and the core of America's combat capability. Constantly adapting, constantly improving, constantly.

learning. And there are examples of this throughout history and current days, to include building things like the F-...


stealth fighter, the B2 stealth bomber, making our combat capability undetectable over the enemy to today's

B-21 and F-47. It works like in the shipyards of the East Coast and the northeast side of the UniStatestate, so that


go out and build America's nuclear submarines that allow us to patrol around the world at the time and place


of our choosing. These innovators, these workers, these incredible Americans don't get the same glory as a fighter.
A 
pilot returning to a carrier deck at night or an artilleryman sending rounds down range. And yet they show up every..

a singleday. And without them, we could not do the work that we are tasked to do 247. They build the tools that we need

to do our business. The skill, the commitment, the patriotism, and the dedication poured into every piece of

combat capability and hardware are seen and felt out at the edge of the force, as the secretary talked about

those young bomb builders out in the desert that he had the chance to see.


You can see it, you can feel it, and it's real, and we're deeply grateful. So to the American workforce out there,

Both inside our defense industrial base and international industrial base, thank you on behalf of the joint force. We

Carry the weapons that you built. We rely on the systems that you create and the distance from that factory floor and

That assembly line to the front line is incredibly short. Thank you. Keep it up.
And to our adversaries out there, I remind you to beware of the American workforce. We continue to press forward.

in our military objectives. The secretary and I remain deeply humbled by the spirit, tenacity, commitment, and
grit of our 2.8 8 million member strong joint force. I want to, as always, thank the force and their families, and as


always remember our fallen. We carry with them, uh, and their names every day. Sir, I'll turn it back over to you. Absolutely. Well, thank you, Mr.
Chairman. Two things. Uh, he didn't note it, but in memory of Colonel Bud Anderson, uh, the chairman himself flew his F-16, uh, to honor him recently. Uh

And thank you for highlighting the defense industrial base, the arsenal of freedom. It's worth noting that no one has rebuilt that defense industrial base faster and with more purpose than
President Trump in his first term. And now we're rebuilding the arsenal of freedom. Our defense industrial base is more vibrant today than it has been since World War II and is growing rapidly.
Contrast that with Iran, whose defense industrial base is nearly completely destroyed. um their ability to


reconstitute the weapons of war they're using now that they're hiding in underground facilities and attritting over time, uh, their ability to rebuild


That uh is negligible, and I think that contrast is an enduring legacy of this as well, right here.


Thank you for your time. Um, we've had some signaling that the US will retake control of the Strait of Hormuz. Um, atAt At 
that point, what military posture will be imposed to guarantee safe passage for our allies, deter our enemies, and uh demonstrate US dominance in the region?

And also, um, can you speak to how much America's ad adversaries, Russia, China, North Korea, um, how much they're

supporting Iran's war machine at this point with arms and intelligence, and what we are militarily doing to, um, punish the enemy coalition.

READ MORE: U.S. conducts retaliatory strikes after Trump says Iran shot down an Apache helicopter

FAQ US

What could happen if America broadcasts warfare on Iran?

AI evaluation

A war between the U.S. and Iran would cause a catastrophic, protracted battle. It would feature large global financial shocks, excessive disruptions to the arena oil delivery, asymmetric proxy battles throughout the Middle East, and extreme home debate over the constitutionality of the army's moves. 

How is the US-Iran war affecting the world?

AI evaluation

A US-Iran battle fundamentally alters the worldwide landscape by way of triggering extreme power crises, sparking worldwide inflation, straining worldwide diplomatic alliances, and forcing nations to reevaluate their supply chain dependencies. 

Why is America attacking Iran?

AI evaluate

The U.S. and Iran are engaged in a broader struggle that escalated following coordinated U.S. and Israeli military campaigns, with the latest cause being Iran's downing of an American Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.