Hegseth says American forces have ‘destroyed’ Iran’s military

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told a gathering of military leaders at Quantico Marine base on Wednesday that US forces have “destroyed” Iran’s navy, air force, defence systems, leadership and military-industrial capacity. Hegseth praised the American troops he addressed, crediting them with having destroyed Iran’s “entire defense space”. “Iran’s conventional shield has been crippled, and their nuclear ambitions have been crippled and laid bare for the world,” he added. Hegseth said the Pentagon has undergone a “clear break” from its past, with a “singular mission” of war-fighting. He said the department had fired “nearly 10 percent of the generals and admirals across the force”, a figure he framed as “accountability” rather than a “purge”, as some media have called it. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth gives an address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, on 30 September 2026 (Alex Wong/AFP)