US Defense Secretary Estimates Iran War Could Last Up to Eight Weeks

Hegseth stated that the conflict, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," could conclude within a timeframe of three to eight weeks, depending on the pace of military progress. While he emphasized that the United States is winning "decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy," he signaled that the campaign could last longer than the initial four-week estimate previously suggested by President Donald Trump.

The Defense Secretary expressed total confidence in the U.S. military’s ability to dismantle Iran’s strategic infrastructure, noting that the Pentagon possesses a "nearly unlimited stockpile" of munitions and the equipment necessary to sustain the offensive as long as required. He asserted that the Iranian regime is "toast" and that its military capabilities, including the air force and navy, are "evaporating by the hour." Hegseth highlighted that the U.S. and its allies have established air superiority over critical Iranian territories, allowing the operation to transition from expensive standoff munitions to cheaper, precision-guided gravity bombs dropped directly over inland targets.

Despite the optimistic timeline, Hegseth acknowledged that the conflict remains high-stakes and that Iran still retains some ability to launch retaliatory missile and drone attacks. He reiterated that the primary goal is to ensure Iran can never again project power outside its borders or threaten American assets. While he declined to set an absolute "exit date," he made it clear that the U.S. and Israel currently set the "pace and the tempo" of the war, leaving the Iranian leadership in a state of disarray following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.