TAMPA, Florida – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared Thursday that America’s military goals regarding Iran remain unchanged, following President Donald Trump’s statement to Reuters that the U.S. should play a role in selecting Iran’s future leadership.
The Pentagon described earlier this week that the military operation, called Operation Epic Fury, aims to eliminate Iran’s offensive missile capabilities, missile manufacturing facilities, and naval forces, while preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“There’s no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we’re trying to achieve,” Hegseth stated.
The Defense Secretary noted that Trump was “having a heck of a say in who runs Iran given the ongoing operation.”
During a phone conversation with Reuters Thursday, Trump indicated that America would need to assist in selecting Iran’s next leader.
American forces have struck more than 2,000 Iranian targets during the last six days, including naval vessels belonging to Iran’s fleet.
