Quantico (HRNW)- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that American military operations have inflicted extensive damage on Iran’s navy, air force, air-defence systems, leadership and military-industrial infrastructure, while also degrading the country’s nuclear capabilities.
Speaking to US military personnel at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, Hegseth said American forces had significantly weakened Iran’s conventional military capabilities and curtailed what he described as Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. He credited US troops with conducting operations against Iranian military and defence infrastructure.
Hegseth also repeated claims that the US had destroyed major elements of Iran’s military, including its navy, air force and air-defence systems, as well as parts of its military-industrial base and command structure. However, independent reporting indicates that Iran has continued to launch missile and drone attacks against US and allied positions and has retained the ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, making the full extent of the damage claimed by Washington difficult to independently establish.
During the same address, Hegseth announced major changes to the structure and priorities of the US Department of Defense, including the planned creation of a new Autonomous Warfare Command to oversee drones, artificial intelligence and robotic warfare capabilities. The command is intended to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous systems across the US military.
He also announced plans to reduce the number of general and flag-officer positions across the US military by 20 percent, with some positions expected to be eliminated or downgraded rather than personnel simply being dismissed. Hegseth presented the restructuring as an effort to strengthen accountability, readiness and combat effectiveness.
The Pentagon’s broader reforms include greater emphasis on drones and autonomous systems, military readiness and resilience, as well as efforts to adapt the armed forces to what US officials describe as the changing character of warfare.
Hegseth’s remarks come amid the continuing US-Iran conflict and efforts by Washington to adapt its military posture while confronting the demands of prolonged operations and rapidly evolving drone and missile warfare.
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