U.S. Secretary of Defense: The United States is victorious over Iran and military operations are still in their early stages

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the United States is making significant progress in the ongoing military operations against Iran, confirming that US forces are "defeating Iran" in the war that broke out last Saturday.
During a press conference, Hegseth stated that the US military strikes achieved significant results during the first days of the operations, considering that the Iranian regime received severe blows. He added that a number of senior Iranian leaders were killed during the attacks, while several of their successors disappeared or went into hiding.

Control of air and sea space

The US Defense Secretary explained that US forces managed within a few days to impose full control over Iranian airspace, noting that various types of US aircraft are currently conducting bombing operations inside Iranian airspace.
He also confirmed that US forces control the maritime routes linked to Iran, adding that the military operations included strikes against Iranian naval capabilities.
He pointed out that a US submarine sank an Iranian warship using a torpedo in the Indian Ocean, in an incident that occurred near the coast of Sri Lanka, as part of the ongoing military operations in the region.

Continuation of military operations

Hegseth emphasized that the military campaign is still in its early stages, explaining that the United States is preparing to send more forces and combat capabilities in the coming days.
He said that Washington has the ability to continue military operations for a long period, noting the use of a large stockpile of precision-guided bombs in the ongoing strikes.
He added that the United States will not accept any Iranian attempts to delay or circumvent the objectives of the operations, affirming that Washington determines the course and conditions of the operations.

Targeting Iranian leaders

In the context of the ongoing operations, the US Secretary announced that US forces also managed to kill the commander of an Iranian unit accused of planning an assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump.
These statements come amid a wide military escalation between the United States and Iran, amid growing international fears of the expansion of the conflict in the region in the coming period.