Washington DC [US], March 31 (ANI): United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine briefed the media on the progress made on Operation Epic Fury, amid speculation over the country preparing for a ground operation in Iran.

Hegseth candidly spoke about his visit to the US Central Command's base and how he interacted with the troops.

Hegseth said, 'Visited our troops on CENTCOM grounds on Saturday. Suffice it to say, the trip was an honour. I witnessed some of the finest American warriors, a brotherhood of men and women on active duty, the National Guard, and the Reserves, demonstrating sheer competency.'Hegseth also underscored the importance of Operation Epic Fury's swiftness while comparing it with previous American missions to Iraq and Afghanistan.He said, 'Rotational units in Iraq and Afghanistan never know when a mission will end. During Operation Epic Fury, I observed the urgency to achieve mission success, the sheer focus of every crew member, and their motivation to push forward. A crew chief told me, 'It's been busy. It's tough stuff.' I asked each young American if anyone wanted to be sent home. Nobody did. They all said, 'Let's finish the mission.''

He also shared details of his interaction with the crew members

He said, 'Privately, I spoke to one Air Force crew that had successfully shot down an enemy missile. I witnessed American ingenuity firsthand, met with Air Force intelligence personnel, and saw extraordinary lethality, bigger bombs, sunken enemy ships, and operations executed with wartime speed.'

'We have dropped bombs over Tehran because the world cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. The troops want to finish this fight for their children and grandchildren. We have more options, while the adversary has fewer. In just the last month, in a 24-hour period, the latest intelligence confirmed that our missiles are damaging Iran with over 200 dynamic strikes in addition to preplanned targets. Iran has even shut off the internet,' Hegseth stated further.

He also warned the 'new' regime to be wiser when dealing with US troops as 'President Trump doesn't bluff.'

He said, 'President Trump doesn't bluff. This new regime in Iran should be wiser than the last. Today, standing here in this briefing room, I witnessed the dedication of our air defenders and the remarkable professionalism of our armed forces.' (ANI)