Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, who briefed reporters Wednesday, declared Operation Epic Fury a decisive win and said a two-week U.S.–Iran ceasefire that began Tuesday night is now in effect.
- Caine said U.S. forces hit more than 13,000 targets since Feb. 28, destroying roughly 80% of Iran’s air defenses and over 90% of its conventional navy and weapons factories, including about 800 strikes launched just before the truce.
- Hegseth said U.S. units will “hang around” in the region to enforce the deal and stand ready to restart strikes, and he warned Washington may move to seize enriched uranium if Tehran does not hand it over.
- Reports of missiles and drones launched after the ceasefire, including in Gulf states, led Hegseth to call the truce fragile as he argued Iran’s decentralized forces may not yet have received or followed stand‑down orders.
- Both sides claimed success in dueling frameworks for talks, with Iran citing a 10‑point plan and the U.S. pointing to a broader set of terms, while officials said reopening the Strait of Hormuz could ease oil and shipping strains if the pause holds.