Pentagon Briefing: Pete Hegseth and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff update press on Iran war

Video Description

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that he promised the families of fallen service members he would “finish this” and honor their sacrifice, as he delivered an update on the war in Iran. Hegseth emphasized that the current conflict is fundamentally different from past U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—often criticized as “forever wars”—arguing that this mission is more focused and decisive. “Hear it from me, one of hundreds of thousands who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, who watched previous foolish politicians like Bush, Obama and Biden squander American credibility. This is not those wars,” Hegseth told reporters. “President Trump knows better. Epic Fury is different. It’s laser-focused. It’s decisive.” His remarks came a day after President Donald Trump honored six U.S. service members killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed during combat operations in Iraq. It marked the second time since the U.S. launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 that Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony alongside members of his administration. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine praised the fallen troops and the broader force, highlighting their dedication and professionalism. “They deliver every single time with professionalism and humility, doing the things that we ask them to do,” Caine said. “When you spend even a minute with these incredibly motivated young Americans, you can’t help but feel hopeful about the future of our country.” The briefing came amid escalating tensions in the region following Israel’s strike on Iran’s South Pars natural gas field, which sent global oil and gas prices higher. Trump warned on social media that he would “blow up” the field if Iran continues attacks on Qatar, which shares the resource. In a post on X, Trump said the United States had no prior knowledge of the strike and stressed that Qatar was not involved. “The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved,” he wrote, adding that Iran retaliated without understanding the full situation. However, an Israeli source told CNN the strike was coordinated with Washington. Energy markets reacted quickly. Gas prices in the United States rose another 4 cents per gallon Thursday, according to AAA. The national average for regular gas now stands at $3.88. Meanwhile, regional instability continued to grow. An “unknown projectile” struck a vessel near Ras Laffan, Qatar—a critical energy hub—early Thursday, though all crew members were reported safe, according to the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency. Since the conflict began, Iran has repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf and has threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route. Amid the intensifying war, dissent has also emerged within U.S. national security circles. Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, who resigned this week, claimed senior officials were blocked from fully voicing concerns to the president. Speaking on Tucker Carlson’s show, Kent alleged there was no meaningful internal debate and suggested Israel influenced the administration’s decision-making despite what he described as insufficient evidence of an imminent Iranian threat. “A good deal of key decision makers were not allowed to come and express their opinion to the president,” Kent said. “There wasn’t a robust debate.” _________________ Stay up to date by following our social media: WSBT 22 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSBTNews WSBT 22 on X: https://twitter.com/WSBT WSBT 22 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wsbt/ For more information, visit https://wsbt.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to our newsroom: [email protected] WSBT is an IN based station and a CBS Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. Sinclair owns and operates, programs or provides sales services to 163 television stations in 77 markets, after pending transactions. Sinclair's television group reaches approximately 38.7% of US television households and includes FOX, ABC, MyTV, CW, CBS, NBC, Univision and Azteca affiliates.