Hegseth proclaims 'overwhelming victory' after cease-fire with Iran

by · UPI

April 8 (UPI) -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told the press on Wednesday that U.S. forces will continue to monitor Iran to ensure it complies with the cease-fire agreed to on Tuesday.

Hegseth and Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine addressed the press at the Pentagon on Wednesday morning for the first time since Tuesday's cease-fire between the United States and Iran was agreed to. Hegseth declared the war an "overwhelming victory."

"In less than 40 days, one of our combatant commands, Central Command, CENTCOM, using less than 10% of America's total combat power, dismantled one of the world's largest militaries," Hegseth said. "The world's leading state sponsor of terrorism proved utterly incapable of defending itself, its people or its territory."

Under the agreement, Iran will control the Strait of Hormuz, which Hegseth confirmed.

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Hegseth claimed that the U.S. military achieved all of its objectives, primarily the goal of preventing Iran from possessing nuclear capabilities.

Iran has continued strikes through the early morning hours on Wednesday, Hegseth confirmed. He said the Pentagon has been monitoring Iran's activities and "it takes time sometimes for a cease-fire to take hold."

"We hope and believe it will take hold," Hegseth said of the cease-fire.

Thirteen U.S. troops were killed during the war "thus far," Caine said. The United States struck about 13,000 targets, including 80% of Iran's air defense systems, 90% of its naval fleet, 2,000 command and control nodes and 90% of its weapons manufacturers.

The United States also destroyed about 700 naval mines on the Strait of Hormuz, Caine said.

When asked what President Donald Trump intended to do when he said "a whole civilization will die" on Tuesday, Hegseth said the United States had set targets on Iran's infrastructure.

"Had Iran refused our terms, our next targets would have been their power plants, their bridges and their oil and energy infrastructure," Hegseth said. "Targets they could not defend and could not realistically rebuild."

As for the U.S. airmen who were shot down and recovered in Iran, Hegseth said Iran "got lucky."

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Yesterday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with the U.S. suspending bombing in Iran for two weeks if the country reopens the Straight of Hormuz. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo