U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth calls strikes on Iran the most lethal and complex precision aerial operation in history

In a post on the social platform X, Hegseth said, “The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal — and now they are suffering the consequences.” He added, “For almost fifty years, Iran has targeted and killed Americans, always seeking the world’s most powerful weapons to further their radical cause. Last night, unlike any previous president, President Trump began dealing with this cancer.”

Hegseth warned that any Iranian missile strikes against Americans after the mission, officially named “Operation Epic Fury,” would not be accepted. He also stated that the Iranian navy “will be destroyed.”

“The United States did not start this conflict, but we will finish it,” Hegseth wrote. He continued, “If you kill or threaten Americans anywhere in the world — as Iran has — then we will hunt you down, and we will kill you.”

The secretary’s comments followed waves of strikes launched early Saturday by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets. Iran responded by firing drones and ballistic missiles at Israel and carrying out attacks in Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Overnight, on President Trump’s orders, the Department of War commenced OPERATION EPIC FURY — the most lethal, most complex, and most-precision aerial operation in history.

The Iranian regime had their chance, yet refused to make a deal — and now they are suffering the…

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 28, 2026

President Trump later confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for more than three decades, was killed. The White House shared images on its official X account showing Trump monitoring the operation from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and another image showed Vice President Vance in the White House Situation Room with Cabinet officials.

Although Hegseth was not visible in the released photos, Reuters reported that he was present at Trump’s resort while the strikes were underway. Concluding his post, Hegseth wrote, “Our warriors are the best in the world, and they are fully unleashed to achieve our objectives. May God’s providence protect them in this vital mission.”