Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged today that some Iranian attacks are hitting their targets, although he insisted that US military superiority allows them to quickly establish control of Iran's airspace, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
The US is sparing no “costs and capabilities“ to bolster air defense systems to protect U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East, Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon.
“That doesn't mean we can stop everything, but we made sure that the maximum possible defense and the maximum possible force protection were in place before we went on the offensive,“ he said.
The admission that drone or missile strikes in the region could cause damage or injure service members comes after President Donald Trump and senior military leaders warned that more American casualties were expected and that the conflict could last months.
Hegseth also signaled that the conflict could last longer than previously suggested by Trump administration officials. He said it could last eight weeks, but the US has enough ammunition and equipment to defeat Iran in a war of attrition.
Hegseth, however, declined to give a specific timeframe, saying the specific length of the war would depend on how it unfolded.
“You could say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,“Hegseth said.
“Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy has lost its balance and we will continue to keep it that way," he added.
Hegseth also said that more forces, including fighter jets and bombers, continue to arrive in the region, and that the United States will take as much time as necessary to achieve success.
Tehran has vowed to completely destroy the military and economic infrastructure of the Middle East, thus sending a signal that the war is far from over and could expand further, the AP notes.