Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. [Photo=U.S. Department of Defense]

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth explained the strategic objectives of Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. government's political and military stance 57 hours after the operation's commencement.

Jin Cummings, a political and diplomatic columnist active in the United States, shared on Facebook on the evening of the 2nd, "Secretary of Defense Hegseth directly explained the specific details at the tactical and operational level, including the preparation process, planning, and troop deployment for the ongoing 'Operation Epic Fury' during the official U.S. Department of Defense briefing held at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. at 8 a.m. on the 2nd (local time)." He then introduced the full transcript of the briefing.

He also explained, "This briefing holds significant meaning as it serves as a military report demonstrating how forces were deployed in actual combat and the current stage of the operation."

The following is a summary of the key points from Jin Cummings' shared "Full Remarks by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon Briefing – All Remarks Regarding Operation Epic Fury."

Meticulous Planning Over Years

Secretary Hegseth began by stating, "On Saturday, February 28th, at 00:15 Eastern Standard Time (09:45 Tehran local time), under the command of U.S. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper and by order of the President of the United States, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) initiated Operation Epic Fury."

Before proceeding with the briefing, he conveyed condolences on behalf of the entire Joint Force to the members of the Department of War who were killed or injured during the operation and expressed gratitude for the sacrifices of the entire Joint Force and their families currently participating in the operation.

He also announced that this operation is an unprecedentedly large-scale joint operation with the Israeli military, involving the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and Reserve Forces across all combatant commands.

He declared that since this operation is not a one-night, single-event mission, it will take more time to achieve its military objectives.

The military objectives he referred to are "to protect and defend ourselves, and together with our regional allies, to prevent Iran from having the capability to project military power beyond its borders," and "to disrupt, degrade, deny, and destroy Iran's ability to wage and sustain war through follow-on actions as necessary."

He further emphasized that this operation is the culmination of meticulous planning and refinement spanning months to years, once again demonstrating America's reach, readiness, and expertise, from "precision strikes on critical military infrastructure" to "continuous intelligence and target integration" and "close coordination between units across vast distances."

Setting the Force and Setting the Theater

He also stated, "Over the past 30 days, we have repositioned assets and personnel across the region to provide the President with credible military options," and revealed that "thousands of servicemembers, hundreds of advanced 4th and 5th generation fighter jets, dozens of aerial refueling aircraft, the Lincoln and Ford carrier strike groups and their air wings, continuous transport of munitions, fuel, and supplies, and the supporting command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance networks, and troop reinforcements are continuing."

Operation Epic Fury began with precision strikes on Tehran's Supreme Leader's office, key nuclear facilities, and missile bases. [Reuters=Yonhap News]

Specifically, he reported that "the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which was deployed in the Western Hemisphere, was redeployed across the Atlantic to set the theater. The ships and the entire carrier strike group have begun planning for combat operations. The Wisconsin Army National Guard, a U.S. reserve force, is operating in Kuwait and Iraq, and Air National Guard units from several states, including Vermont and Virginia, are also participating."

He further explained that the 158th Fighter Squadron of the Vermont Air National Guard, originally mobilized for "Operation Absolute Resolve (a military operation conducted by the U.S. in the early morning of January 3rd to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro alive)," instead of returning, was tasked with supporting this operation across the Atlantic with F-35A fighter jets.

Additionally, he stated that aerial refueling and maneuver units from the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command have left their civilian jobs to be immediately deployed and engaged in regional defense missions.

Secretary Hegseth did not fail to praise the "U.S. military logistics and sustainment support personnel," the unsung heroes of war, saying, "As leaders during World War II said, 'professionals perform logistics.'"

The Order to Attack and Final Checks

The time Secretary Hegseth finally received the order to attack was 3:38 p.m. on Friday, February 27th (U.S. local time).

He reported that following the President's directive, "I approve Operation Epic Fury. There will be no turning back. Good luck," "all components of the Joint Force in the region entered their final preparations."

Specifically, "Air defense batteries checked their systems in preparation for potential Iranian retaliation," "pilots and crew members conducted final rehearsal of the strike packages," and "aircrews loaded their final munitions, and the two carrier strike groups began moving to their launch points."

Consequently, operational centers worldwide, including Tampa (Florida), the Pentagon, and the Central Command theater, were activated, and operations commenced simultaneously.

The key to all operations was speed! Secretary Hegseth stated, "Prior to the physical attack, the U.S. Cyber Command and U.S. Space Command disrupted and neutralized Iran's surveillance networks, communication systems, and response capabilities."

He then reported that at H-hour on the 28th at 01:15 (09:45 Tehran local time), when the large-scale combat operation began, over 100 aircraft launched simultaneously from land and sea, stating, "Fighters, aerial refueling aircraft, airborne early warning aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft, bombers launched from CONUS, and unmanned aircraft platforms moved as a single, synchronized wave."

He further reported, "The initial strikes were Tomahawk missiles launched by the U.S. Navy. As they approached Iranian naval forces, they began strikes across the southern front of Iran. On the ground, forces launched precision standoff munitions. Over 1,000 targets were struck in the first 24 hours," conveying the tense moments.

Thorough Preparation Against Iranian Drone Attacks

In the initial phase, the Central Command's focus was on systematic strikes against "Iran's command and control infrastructure, naval forces, ballistic missile bases, and intelligence infrastructure."

As a result, Iran lost the ability to perceive, coordinate, or effectively respond to the situation, and the Central Command achieved local air superiority.

Over the past two days, the Joint Force has conducted hundreds of missions from land and sea, dropping tens of thousands of munitions, and the scale of the operation continues to expand, according to the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

This included U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers, which, similar to "Operation Midnight Hammer (a U.S. Air Force and Navy operation to attack Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, 2025)," flew from the continental United States, undertaking a 37-hour round trip.

Furthermore, Secretary Hegseth stated that Israel also conducted hundreds of sorties separately, striking hundreds of targets.

In response to the threat of Iranian one-way attack drones, he announced that air defense batteries in Qatar, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as U.S. Central Command, joined the fight.

He also revealed the loss of three U.S. Air Force F-15E fighter jets last night, stating that the crew members are safe. He added that this was not due to enemy shootdown and that the incident is under investigation.

Finally, Secretary Hegseth stated, "We are prepared not only to maintain pressure but also to respond and adapt as needed," and "I am proud to stand as a member of the U.S. Joint Force today, and every day."

"For the men and women in uniform of our nation, there is no mission too complex, no distance too far, and no enemy too determined. We mourn our fallen. We honor their families. We will continue to execute the mission with focus, unity, and strength."

By Reporter Lim Yo-hee