US objectives in Iran have not changed, says Hegseth
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US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the country's objectives in Iran "remain exactly what they were on day one".
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 19 that the US’ objectives in the war against Iran have not changed since strikes started on Feb 28.
The US has carried out strikes against 7,000 targets inside Iran so far and hit more than 40 Iranian mine-laying vessels and 11 submarines, according to the Pentagon.
“Our objectives, given directly from our America-first President, remain exactly what they were on day one,” Mr Hegseth told reporters.
“These are not the media’s objectives, not Iran’s objectives, not new objectives. Our objectives – unchanged, on target and on plan,” he added. He spent several minutes in his opening statement criticising the press.
Mr Hegseth told reporters that the objectives remained to destroy Iran’s missile launchers, as well as its defence industrial base and navy and to never allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.
In the same briefing, General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US military remained on track to achieve the objectives and that the US was striking deeper into Iranian territory every day. REUTERS
