Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Wednesday that the United States has used the ceasefire with Iran to significantly expand its intelligence-gathering efforts, identifying additional regime personnel and other critical targets. He said that if the U.S. is forced to resume full-scale combat operations, future strikes would be even more effective than those carried out at the outset of Operation Epic Fury.
“So, in the event that the Iranians don’t come to the table and they keep playing games and they refuse to make a deal, how certain are you on our targeting ability to immediately find and finish off and execute every remaining senior leader within the Islamic Republic of Iran, in IRGC?” a reporter asked.
“Well, let’s just say this command has used the ceasefire wisely and with great efficiency to ensure that we’re refining our intelligence and target sets in a way that are far, far beyond even the beginning of Epic Fury,” the Secretary of War said. “And that’s a part of what I had a chance to see today. So, when you see the commencement of Epic Fury, if a conflict were to have to recommence, our ability to target, our ability to sense, our ability to see, our ability to get into networks has only been vastly improved over time. And that’s certainly what the commanders relate to me.”
“So, the historic success of Epic Fury would only be built upon, whether it’s personnel, locations, capabilities, you name it,” Hegseth added. “And again, remember, Iran doesn’t have a defense industrial base. And what they have is extremely limited, meaning they don’t have the ability right now to make more missiles or make more drones. What they have is what they have. And if they’ve dug it out, we’ll strike it again if we need to. So, we know the terms and we’ve got always more capability to bring.”
This comes as the initial retaliatory strikes appear poised to escalate. President Trump revealed Wednesday that the United States may target Kharg Island, through which more than 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports flow. The facility has largely been spared thus far as the administration pursued negotiations, but that approach may be nearing its end.
“The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” Trump said Wednesday that Iranian officials appear to be stringing the administration along, while the reported downing of an American Apache helicopter by an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz has further raised tensions. Although both pilots were safely rescued, the incident marked a significant escalation amid an existing ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
