US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday dismissed comparisons between the expanding assault on Iran and previous American military campaigns in the Middle East, insisting that Washington is not heading into another prolonged Iraq-style conflict. Instead, he described the operation as a forceful and targeted effort to dismantle Tehran’s military strength and nuclear ambitions.
“This is not Iraq, this is not endless war,” he said, as US strikes intensified and casualties rose.
Speaking at the Pentagon, Hegseth stated that the campaign is intended to be swift and decisive, focusing on Iran’s missile systems, drone capabilities, naval assets and nuclear infrastructure rather than occupation or nation-building. He said the strikes were being carried out in a surgical and overwhelming manner, arguing that Iran’s nuclear pursuits, threats to global shipping routes and expanding arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones had become unacceptable risks.
Hegseth maintained that the objective is not regime change, even as he remarked that developments had effectively altered Iran’s leadership landscape. He emphasised that the war is not designed to reshape the country politically.
On the duration of the conflict, he made clear there is no predetermined timeline, saying President Donald Trump will determine how long operations continue. He framed the campaign as the culmination of decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran, stating that while the United States did not initiate the war, it intends to bring it to a close under Trump’s leadership.
The US-Israeli offensive began with coordinated strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior commanders. Since then, Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Gulf nations and Western military facilities.
The conflict has widened further, with Hezbollah launching attacks from Lebanon, prompting heavy Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iranian projectiles have also targeted US and allied installations, including a British air base in Cyprus.
Washington and Israel continue to state that the objective remains the dismantling of Iran’s offensive capabilities and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
