19.03.2026 18:00
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon will request an additional budget of $200 billion for the war with Iran. Hegseth stated, "This figure can certainly change. Killing bad guys requires money."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine held a joint press conference where they shared updated information regarding the war with Iran. During the press conference, Hegseth accused the media of trying to portray the U.S. as being dragged into an endless abyss or a quagmire of an unending war in Iran, arguing that the war in Iran is not like the wars conducted during previous presidents' terms.
"OUR GOALS IN IRAN ARE THE SAME TODAY AS THEY WERE ON THE FIRST DAY"
Hegseth stated, "Epic Fury is different. It is laser-focused and determined. Our goals, set by our President who puts America first, are the same today as they were on the first day."
Hegseth remarked, "For decades, Iran has directed state resources not to its people, but to missiles, drones, proxy forces, and underground facilities. But we are hunting them down systematically, ruthlessly, and overwhelmingly. In a way that no other army in the world can."
"BALISTIC MISSILE ATTACKS HAVE DECREASED BY 90%"
Stating that more than 7,000 targets have been hit in Iran to date, Hegseth said, "The heaviest blow has likely been to Iran's new ballistic missile production capabilities. Ballistic missile attacks against our forces have decreased by 90% since the beginning of the conflict. The same is true for kamikaze drones. In other words, kamikaze drones have decreased by 90%."
Hegseth, who said, "We decided to share the ocean with Iran and left the bottom of the ocean to them," mentioned that more than 120 ships belonging to the Iranian navy have been damaged or sunk.
"OUR UNGRATEFUL ALLIES IN EUROPE"
Emphasizing that Iran's nuclear ambitions are not just a regional issue, Hegseth stated, "The world, our ungrateful allies in the Middle East and Europe, and even some segments of our own press, should thank Trump for what he has done."
In response to a question about when the attacks on Iran would cease, Hegseth said, "When we say we have achieved what we need to do to ensure our security on behalf of the American people, the decision will be up to the President. So no, there is no specific timeline. However, we are progressing as planned."
"GULF COUNTRIES HAVE STEPPED UP EXTRAORDINARILY"
When asked which countries have cooperated the most with the U.S. while Europe has been hesitant, Hegseth replied, "From the perspective of allies and partners, Israel has been an incredibly strong and effective partner from day one. Both willing and strong. You cannot have a more valuable asset than capable partners. Gulf countries have also stepped up extraordinarily. Iran's reckless attempts to strike civilian infrastructure and other targets have drawn some countries directly to our side."
Hegseth expressed, "We are proud to defend alongside the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and others who stand with us."
CONFIRMED REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL $200 BILLION BUDGET
In response to a question about whether the Pentagon's request for an additional $200 billion budget for the Iran war was accurate, Hegseth said, "This figure can certainly change. Killing bad guys requires money. Therefore, we want to go back to Congress and our counterparts there to ensure that we are appropriately funded for what has been done and what we may have to do in the future. We want to ensure that our ammunition stocks are replenished and not just replenished, but exceeded."
"PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE"
During the press conference, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Dan Caine stated that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) continues to make progress in achieving military objectives in Iran. Caine mentioned that the U.S. continues to attack deeper into Iranian territory every day, stating that the U.S. military used approximately 2.5 tons of penetrating munitions against facilities storing Iran's underground coastal defense cruise missiles and other support equipment yesterday.
Caine noted that they continue to target Iran's mine storage and naval munitions depots, saying, "We continue to destroy targets at sea. This includes more than 120 ships and 44 mine layers. The pressure will continue."
Caine also expressed that the U.S. is now operating further east and deeper into Iranian airspace, stating that they are trying to eliminate Iran's capacity to conduct operations outside its borders.