US President Donald Trump has identified Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as a primary advocate for the initiation of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing military campaign against Iran.
Addressing a roundtable of military and law enforcement officials in Memphis on Monday, the president provided an account of the deliberations preceding 28 February launch.
Trump stated that during consultations with Hegseth and General Dan Caine, he proposed a “little journey” into the Middle East to neutralise what he described as a 47-year “purveyor of terror” nearing nuclear capability.
According to the President, the Defence Secretary was the first to endorse the plan, purportedly saying, “Let’s do it because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.”
However, the Iranian government has vehemently disputed the President’s claims of “very good and productive” ceasefire negotiations, labelling them “fake news.” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, asserted that no such discussions had occurred.
He accused Washington of disseminating misinformation to manipulate global oil and financial markets while attempting to “escape the quagmire.” In response, President Trump maintained that talks involving Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had proceeded “perfectly,” suggesting Tehran required “better public relations people.”
The regional situation remains volatile, with Iran launching a new series of missile strikes against American and Israeli allies across the Gulf on Monday evening. The attacks, which triggered air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, represent a direct challenge to the US administration’s resolve.
While the operation achieved a major goal on its first day by killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – concluding his 47-year tenure as supreme leader – the broader costs of the conflict have been significant.
To date, 13 US service members have been killed in retaliatory actions. Furthermore, global energy prices have spiked as Tehran maintains a “chokehold” on the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime corridor responsible for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
The administration has offered various justifications for the offensive, citing an “imminent threat” and the resumption of Iran’s nuclear programme.
These claims follow the president’s previous assertions that a summer campaign, Operation Midnight Hammer, had already “obliterated” Iranian capabilities.
Although Trump told reporters in Memphis that Iran’s “unexpected” regional response could not have been foreseen, reports indicate the president was specifically warned of such outcomes prior to the strikes.
In the Pentagon, Secretary Hegseth has become the central figure of the war effort. He has frequently used the briefing room to praise US “lethality” while rebuking members of the press for what he characterises as insufficiently positive reporting on the conflict’s impact.
