After the Tuesday announcement by President Donald Trump of a two-week ceasefire between Iran, Israel, and U.S. forces, on Wednesday morning, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine provided an update on the aims and successes of Operation Epic Fury, including the two rescues of the downed Air Force F-15E pilots in the midst of it.
SecWar Hegseth outlined the damage done to the Iranian regime and just how much President Trump's goals in this operation had been planned and achieved. Hegseth declared Operation Epic Fury was a "Victory. With a capital 'V' military victory."
Hegseth began:
"Iran has been a threat to the United States and the free world for 47 years. Chants of 'Death to America,' targeting our people, killing Americans, lying and blackmailing their way to a nuclear weapon... so they thought.
"No longer. Not on our watch.
"Other presidents marked time and kicked the can down the road. President Trump made history. From the strike that took out Qasem Soleimani, to tearing up the disastrous Obama-Iran deal, to the precision campaign that obliterated Iran's nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer. To the decisive military victory we just achieved in Operation Epic Fury. No other president has shown the courage and resolve of this Commander-in-Chief.
"President Trump forged this moment. Iran begged for this ceasefire and we all know it."
WATCH:
.@SecWar: "Iran begged for this ceasefire — and we all know it... Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield." pic.twitter.com/huttMUpSV9
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Hegseth said, "We untied just a fraction of our strength, and Iran suffered a devastating military defeat." Hegseth then described the specific devastation done to Iran's infrastructure, its Navy, how the U.S. and Israel had taken control of air superiority, and that any attempted attacks by Iran at that point were "blowing ammo into fantasyland."
Read More: New: Iran Is Already Blatantly Violating the Ceasefire, Large Missile Barrages Reported
Hegseth explained how President Trump could have moved forward with the ultimate crippling of Iran's economy, but instead, "He chose mercy."
"He spared those targets because Iran accepted the ceasefire under overwhelming pressure. The new Iranian regime understood that a deal was far better than the fate that awaited them. This new regime just happened to look at what happened to their predecessors. Their top leadership was systematically eliminated."
Hegseth spoke the names of some of those top leaders, then said:
"I could go on, and on, and on, to include the new so-called Supreme Leader, wounded and disfigured. This new regime was out of options and out of time, so they cut a deal. They know this agreement means they will never ever possess a nuclear weapon. Any material that should not be there will be removed. Their dust is deeply buried and watched overhead.
[...]
"Other leaders said it. President Trump did it. Operation Epic Fury: Less than six weeks. Clear mission. Decisive action. Overwhelming firepower. America First. A historic battlefield victory."
WATCH:
.@SecWar: "@POTUS had the power to cripple Iran's entire economy in minutes, but he chose mercy. He spared those targets because Iran accepted the ceasefire under overwhelming pressure. The new Iranian regime understood that a deal was far better than the fate that awaited them." pic.twitter.com/BrV1KWXmLp
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Hegseth then spoke to Iran's duplicity and long history of using proxies to wage war against America, but countered with the superiority of America's armed forces when Iran was forced to fight toe-to-toe. Hegseth glowingly talked of the rescue operation to secure the downed Air Force F15-E pilots, right under the Iranian regime's noses. This effectively put a semicolon on continued operations, because it was clear who had the upper hand.
"Now we have a chance at real peace, and a real deal, Hegseth continued. The War Department, for now... for now, has done its part. We stand ready, in the background, to ensure Iran upholds every reasonable term. And as everybody knows, nobody makes a better deal than President Trump."
WATCH:
.@SecWar: "For decades, Iran killed Americans with roadside bombs in Iraq, using cowardly proxies to do their dirty work... They thought they could bleed America with impunity. Well, they just learned the hard way what happens when you try to fight us directly." pic.twitter.com/JerbPnsapd
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Hegseth further saluted the warriors of Operation Epic Fury as "the backbone of our country." Hegseth also honored the fallen and the families of the fallen: "We will always remember your heroes, our heroes. We will continue to honor them."
He further gave homage to Israel's partnership and vigilance. And finally, gave glory to God. "God is Good," Hegseth intoned.
WATCH:
.@SecWar: "To the warriors of Epic Fury, I say well done. You’re the backbone of our country. Your skill, your bravery, and sheer guts, and grit showed the world what America is all about... To the families of our fallen, your sacrifice was in service of a historic cause, and we… pic.twitter.com/2o3Zutwy3o
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine gave a deeper dive into the military details of Operation Epic Fury and reiterated President Trump's and SecWar Hegseth's stated goals for the operation. Caine also said he welcomed the ceasefire.
"President Donald Trump ordered the Joint Force to execute Operation Epic Fury with the direct direction to accomplish three distinct military objectives: destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroy the Iranian Navy, and destroy their defense industrial base to ensure that Iran cannot reconstitute the ability to project power outside its borders."
Caine profusely thanked the leaders and staff of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) for their precise and difficult work and the intelligence community partners. Caine further thanked the Gulf partners who stood alongside the U.S. against Iran, and also gave honor to the American people for our support and prayers as the military executed the aims of Operation Epic Fury.
WATCH:
Gen. Dan Caine: "On Feb. 28, @POTUS ordered the Joint Force to execute Operation Epic Fury with the direct direction to accomplish three distinct military objectives: destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroy the Iranian navy, and destroy their defense… pic.twitter.com/9ASjP1EMru
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Caine then laid out the devastation and destruction enacted upon Iran that brought them to this ceasefire and said that Iran is crippled from the ability to harm "Americans and our interests, for years to come[...] We remain ready to do so, should the need arise," Caine affirmed, should the ceasefire not hold.
WATCH: @thejointstaff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine lays out the objectives achieved in Operation Epic Fury — a historic military success pic.twitter.com/RzRKC4IXvz
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
Caine concluded with revisiting the rescue of the second Air Force F-15E pilot and the grit and inspiration from those involved in that mission to bring our fighter home. Caine said:
"Hearing these stories firsthand has only deepened our appreciation for their tenacity, creativity, courage, and grit of the American joint force. This is a story that gets to the very heart and soul of who we are as a joint force, who we are as Americans: selfless sacrifice in service of others."
WATCH:
.@thejointstaff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine on the historic rescue of two American airmen from Iran: "This is a story that gets to the very heart and soul of who we are as a joint force; who we are as Americans — selfless sacrifice in service of others." 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/EDmcr39Fnd
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 8, 2026
"And they remember first, foremost, and always that we do these things so that others may live, and we will never leave anyone behind," Caine said.
The Secretary of War and the Chairman then opened the floor for questions from the Pentagon press pool.
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
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