War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran is far from over, warning that the strikes carried out so far represent "only just the beginning" of a broader effort to defeat Tehran's military capabilities.
Speaking in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," Hegseth said the United States and Israel are executing a massive military campaign under Operation Epic Fury, with more than 50,000 U.S. troops involved and thousands of targets already struck across Iran.
According to the Pentagon, U.S. forces have struck roughly 3,000 targets inside Iran as of Friday, targeting military infrastructure, missile systems, and facilities linked to Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"We're very much on track, on plan," Hegseth said. "But we're not flying a 'Mission Accomplished' banner. We can be clear with the American people that this is not a fair fight — and that's on purpose."
Hegseth said the combined airpower of the United States and Israel gives the allies overwhelming dominance in the skies.
"When you combine our Air Force with the Israeli Defense Forces' Air Force, it's the two most powerful air forces in the world," he said. "And we haven't even really begun the full scope of the campaign."
The war secretary said the operation will increasingly involve heavy conventional munitions, including 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound bombs, targeting Iran's military infrastructure and command capabilities.
The goal, Hegseth said, is clear: force Iran to the point where it can no longer continue the fight.
"It means we're fighting to win," he said when asked about President Donald Trump's demand for Iran's unconditional surrender. "There will be a point where they're not capable of fighting anymore. They will be combat-ineffective. They will surrender."
While critics have suggested Israel may have drawn the United States into the conflict, Hegseth strongly rejected that claim, insisting the operation is being driven by American interests and Trump's leadership.
"I'm in the room every day," Hegseth said. "What the president is putting first is America, Americans, and American interests."
Hegseth also defended the decision to confront Iran militarily after decades of hostility and what he described as Tehran's persistent pursuit of nuclear weapons.
"They've been killing us for nearly 50 years," he said. "They have unabated nuclear ambitions."
The secretary declined to rule out future military options — including potential U.S. ground forces — emphasizing that revealing operational limits would only benefit the enemy.
"You don't tell the enemy what your limits are," Hegseth said. "We're willing to go as far as we need to in order to be successful."
Hegseth acknowledged the war has already taken a toll. Seven U.S. service members were recently killed in an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait, a loss he said strengthens American resolve rather than weakening it.
"There will be casualties," he said. "But that doesn't weaken us one bit. It stiffens our spine and our resolve."
Hegseth said the campaign will continue until Iran's military and nuclear ambitions are decisively neutralized.
"What I want [Americans] to understand," he said, "is this is only just the beginning."
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