Hegseth: 'We didn't start this war but under President Trump we're finishing it'

"We didn't start this war but under President Trump we're finishing it. This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it. He said the U.S. goal in Iran was to destroy the missile threats, destroy the navy, no nukes."

"The remarks are the first to reporters since the U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran began Saturday despite weeks of talks designed to stave off a conflict. That operation and Iran's retaliation has resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader and some of its senior leadership, embroiled other Middle Eastern nations in the conflict, and led to the deaths of four American service members in Kuwait."

Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth stated that U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, which began Saturday, were a response to Iran's long-standing targeting of American military and interests worldwide. The operations resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader and senior leadership, involved other Middle Eastern nations, and caused four American service member deaths in Kuwait. Hegseth clarified the action was not regime change warfare but noted the regime changed and the world is better off. U.S. objectives include destroying missile threats, destroying the Iranian navy, and preventing nuclear development. President Trump indicated combat operations may continue for four to five weeks until all objectives are achieved, without specifying those objectives in detail.

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