Pete Hegseth at press conference
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegers claimed on Wednesday that U.S. and Israeli forces were moving quickly to control Iranian airspace, while acknowledging that some incoming drones and missiles could still evade interception.“It started last night and will be completed in a few days… two of the most powerful air forces in the world,” Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. [US, Israel] would have complete control over Iran’s skies. “
“That doesn’t mean we can stop everything,” he said, adding that maximum force protection was established before offensive operations began.The defense secretary further reiterated the claim that Iran wanted to “kill” Trump, adding, “We have known for a long time that Iran was intentionally trying to kill President Trump…although that was not the focus of any effort imaginable. In fact, the president never raised it…I made sure that those responsible ended up being part of the target list.”Hegseth said the conflict could last longer than initially expected, possibly lasting up to eight weeks, but he declined to commit to a fixed timetable. “You can say four weeks, but it could be six weeks, eight weeks, three weeks,” he said, adding that the United States would set the “rhythm and pace” of operations.He said more U.S. troops, including fighter jets and bombers, were continuing to deploy to the region.His comments came as U.S. officials warned that the conflict, which looks set to last for weeks, could cause more American casualties. President Donald Trump has said the battle could last a month or more, while defense leaders say the timeline will depend on developments on the battlefield.Gen. Dan Kaine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. personnel in the region remain at risk.Six U.S. soldiers were killed on Sunday when an Iranian drone struck the operations center of a civilian port facility in Kuwait, miles from the main U.S. base. One of the family members of the victims said that the site was a temporary container-type building without special defense protection.Hegers said more U.S. aircraft, including fighters and bombers, were continuing to deploy to the region as part of a broader build-up. He suggested the conflict could last six to eight weeks, but declined to set a specific time frame, saying the duration would depend on developments.Tehran has threatened to target military and economic infrastructure across the Middle East, a sign that the confrontation could expand further.Hegseth also pointed to previous intelligence on the Iranian threat to Trump, saying individuals linked to those plots were ultimately considered for targeting, although he said the issue was not central to the current campaign.
