Pentagon Chief Says War in Iran Won't Be Without End

US warships belonging to CENTCOM launched missiles at targets in Iran in Operation Epic Fury. (Source: US CENTCOM)

JAKARTA - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday said a military operation against Iran would not lead to an "endless war" and the goal was to destroy Tehran's missiles, navy and other security infrastructure.

"We attacked them precisely, massively, and without regret," said Defense Minister Hegseth at a press conference at the Pentagon, launching Al Arabiya (2/3).

In a joint press statement with the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Air Force General John Daniel Caine, Defense Secretary Hegseth said the war against Iran was not an effort to build democracy in the country.

"There is no rule of stupid involvement, no swamp of nation-building, no exercise of democracy-building. There is no war based on politics. We fight to win and we don't waste time or lives," he said.

Meanwhile, General Dan Caine on the occasion said it would take time to achieve military goals in Iran.

He said additional US casualties were expected, adding that the United States continued to send additional troops to the Middle East after a massive military buildup.

General Caine said US forces had achieved air superiority over Iran. Attacks by American forces "have resulted in the creation of local air superiority. This air superiority will not only increase the protection of our troops, but also allow them to continue their work over Iran," he said.

As previously reported, Israel and the United States launched an attack on the capital Tehran and a number of cities in Iran on Saturday.

Quoted from ABC, the United States dubbed the operation "Operation Epic Fury" while Israel called it "Operation Roaring Lion."

Since Saturday morning, Israel and the US have carried out attacks on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khemenei and many other high-ranking security officials.

In response, Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israeli and US assets in the region that prompted many Gulf countries to close their airspace.