They would shoot a lot more if they could. But they can't.
On March 19, the United States military announced a sweeping and accelerating campaign against Iranian military infrastructure, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declaring more than 7,000 targets struck and Iran's offensive capacity dramatically reduced. The operation, framed as a reckoning with nearly five decades of unacknowledged conflict, has dismantled much of Iran's naval presence and degraded its missile capabilities by roughly 90 percent. Yet with no timeline offered and the final decision resting with President Trump, the world watches a campaign that has found its momentum but not yet its conclusion.
- The Pentagon is projecting overwhelming dominance — 7,000+ targets struck, Iran's navy effectively neutralised, and ballistic missile attacks down 90% — yet Iran continues to launch what weapons it still possesses.
- American aircraft ranging from A-10s to B-52s are operating across the Strait of Hormuz and southern Iran, with bunker-busting penetrator weapons now targeting hardened underground facilities as operations push eastward.
- A coalition of Gulf states — UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia — alongside Israel has provided critical regional support, deepening the geopolitical stakes for the entire Middle East.
- Iran is fighting back on the information front, deploying AI-generated imagery to shape global perception of the conflict even as internet blackouts suppress the view from inside the country.
- With no end date announced and President Trump holding sole authority to conclude operations, the campaign remains open-ended — a war being won on the battlefield but not yet closed at the table.
At the Pentagon on March 19, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stood before reporters and declared the American military campaign against Iran a decisive and accelerating success. More than 7,000 targets have been struck across Iranian territory, he announced, and the results are measurable: ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces have fallen by 90 percent, drone strikes by a similar margin. Hegseth acknowledged that Iran retains the will to fight — "they will still shoot," he said — but argued its capacity has been gutted. "They would shoot a lot more if they could. But they can't."
The campaign has been methodical in its destruction. Iran's naval presence has been systematically dismantled, with over 120 vessels damaged or sunk and its submarine fleet declared neutralised. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, described operations as "unrelenting," with U.S. aircraft now striking underground storage facilities using 5,000-pound penetrator weapons and pushing deeper into Iranian airspace. The full range of American air power — A-10s, Apaches, B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s — is operating across the southern flank and the Strait of Hormuz.
Hegseth cast the conflict as a long-overdue reckoning, arguing that Iran has effectively been at war with the United States for 47 years through proxy attacks and support for militant groups. The campaign's stated aims encompass missile systems, defence infrastructure, and nuclear ambitions. Regional allies — the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Israel — have provided substantial support, which Hegseth praised as stepping up "incredibly."
Despite the scale of the operation, Pentagon officials offered no timeline for its conclusion, with Hegseth confirming the decision rests entirely with President Trump. Iran, meanwhile, continues to launch missiles and is waging what the Pentagon describes as an information war, spreading AI-generated imagery to shape global perception of the conflict even as internet access inside Iran remains severely restricted.
At the Pentagon on March 19, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that American forces have now struck more than 7,000 targets across Iranian territory, and he made clear the campaign is accelerating rather than winding down. Standing before reporters, he declared the operation a decisive success, one being conducted entirely on American terms, and he pushed back sharply against any suggestion that the conflict might drag on indefinitely.
The scale of the assault is staggering. Hegseth reported that ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces have dropped by 90 percent since the fighting began, with drone strikes falling by a similar margin. He acknowledged that Iran still possesses the will to strike—"the Iranians will still shoot," he said—but framed their reduced capacity as a direct result of American firepower. "They would shoot a lot more if they could. But they can't." General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reinforced this assessment, describing U.S. forces as "on plan" and continuing to push deeper into Iranian airspace, including strikes on underground storage facilities using 5,000-pound penetrator weapons designed to breach hardened targets.
The campaign has also systematically dismantled Iran's naval presence. More than 120 vessels have been damaged or destroyed, Hegseth said, and he claimed Iran's submarine fleet has been effectively neutralized. "Their surface fleet is no longer a factor," he stated flatly. The operational tempo reflects a military effort that shows no signs of slowing. U.S. aircraft—A-10s, Apache helicopters, B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s—are now operating across the southern flank and the Strait of Hormuz, supported by extensive aerial refueling operations. Caine described the effort as "unrelenting" in its pursuit of Iranian missile capabilities, mine storage facilities, and naval ammunition depots.
Hegseth framed the entire conflict as a long-overdue response to decades of Iranian aggression. "They have been at war with us, whether we acknowledge it or not, for 47 years," he said, citing attacks on American personnel and Iranian support for militant groups across multiple regions. The campaign, he insisted, remains "laser focused" and "decisive," aimed at dismantling Iran's missile systems, defence infrastructure, and nuclear ambitions. Yet despite the intensity and apparent success of operations, Pentagon officials offered no timeline for when the campaign might end. Hegseth said the decision to conclude operations rests with President Donald Trump, and that the U.S. military remains "very much on plan."
The operation has drawn substantial support from regional allies. Hegseth highlighted the commitment of Gulf states—the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia—alongside Israel. He said these partners "have stepped up incredibly." Even as the Pentagon projects military dominance, it acknowledges that Iran retains some offensive capability. Caine noted that Iran "came into this fight with a lot of weapons" and continues to launch missiles, necessitating layered defence systems across the region. The Pentagon is also contending with what it describes as Iranian information warfare, including the spread of what Hegseth called "fake AI-generated images" designed to shape perceptions of the conflict, even as internet blackouts persist inside Iran itself.
Notable Quotes
We're winning decisively and on our terms.— Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
They have been at war with us, whether we acknowledge it or not, for 47 years.— Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
When Hegseth says the operation is "on plan," what does that actually mean? Is there a defined endpoint, or is this open-ended?
The Pentagon isn't saying. Hegseth made clear the decision to stop belongs to Trump, not the military. They're describing success in tactical terms—targets struck, capabilities degraded—but they're not tying that to any political resolution or negotiated end state.
A 90 percent reduction in missile attacks sounds enormous. How confident are they in that number?
Caine and Hegseth both cited it, so it's clearly their official position. But it's worth noting they're measuring attacks on U.S. forces specifically, not Iran's total missile inventory. Iran still has weapons. They're just using them less frequently.
Why mention the fake AI images? That seems like an odd detail for a military briefing.
Because information control matters as much as kinetic control in modern conflict. If Iranians can't access real information and the regime is flooding the zone with false images, that shapes how people understand what's happening. It's psychological warfare alongside the physical campaign.
The regional allies—are they actually fighting, or just providing bases and support?
Hegseth didn't specify. He said they "stepped up incredibly," which could mean anything from hosting U.S. operations to direct participation. The vagueness itself is telling—it suggests the U.S. is doing most of the heavy lifting.
What happens if Iran's remaining weapons capability suddenly increases? Is there a contingency?
Caine acknowledged Iran came in with "a lot of weapons" and continues launching missiles. The U.S. is relying on layered defence systems across the region to handle that. But if Iran found a way to significantly increase strike frequency or accuracy, it would complicate the narrative of decisive victory.