Hegseth declares regime change in Iran ‘has occurred,’ warns decisive days ahead

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that regime change in Iran has effectively “occurred” and warned that the coming days will be “decisive,” as Operation Epic Fury enters what he described as a high-intensity final phase.

“The upcoming days will be decisive. Iran knows that, and there’s almost nothing they can militarily do about it. American firepower is only increasing. Iran’s is decreasing. We have more and more options, and they have less,” Hegseth told reporters at his first Pentagon briefing in nearly two weeks. He referred to Iran’s new government as a “new regime” and said Trump “doesn’t bluff” and is ready to make a deal, but warned: “If Iran doesn’t make a deal, the war will continue with more intensity.” His direct message to Tehran: “If Iran is wise, they will cut a deal.”

Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine said U.S. forces have struck more than 11,000 targets over the past 30 days, including key manufacturing sites, research nodes and uranium-related facilities, and have destroyed more than 150 ships. He confirmed that B-52s are now conducting overland missions, citing it as evidence of U.S. air superiority, and said forces are not only destroying capabilities but “intercepting supply chains” feeding Iran’s ballistic missile and drone programs.

Hegseth said the past 24 hours had seen the lowest number of Iranian missiles and drones fired, and that military morale in Iran was deteriorating, causing desertions and frustration among commanders. He described a recent visit to troops in the region as deeply moving, saying every service member he spoke with expressed a desire to finish the mission rather than go home. “Not with Epic Fury. I witnessed urgency to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success, not looking at the next rotation, only moving as fast as possible to win,” he said.