Pentagon chief says US action against Iran will not be endless

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday (March 2) that military operations against Iran would not lead to an "endless war," though he and other leaders acknowledged the operation will take time, Reuters reports.

"This is not Iraq. This is not endless," Hegseth said, as the United States and Israel's strikes on Iran continued for a third day.

Hegseth said the aim was to destroy Tehran's missiles, navy and other security infrastructure and deny Iran a nuclear weapon.

The U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran expanded on Monday with no end in sight. The U.S. military said Kuwait's air defenses had mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack.

In the same briefing, tU.S. General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it will take time to achieve U.S. military objectives in Iran and additional U.S. casualties are expected. Hegseth also stated that more U.S. casualties are expected, and honored four American servicepeople killed so far in the conflict.