Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, hold a press briefing at the Pentagon to update on Operation Epic Fury.
Secretary Hegseth notes the Iranian war machine is destroyed. All of the operations, companies and technical systems needed to manufacture weapons and war material have been destroyed. The Mullahs in Iran are no longer in control of the governing system. The IRGC is being degraded daily.
Hegseth’s cadence and dramatic focus can be a little weird at times. Thus, the video is prompted to the statements and explanations by General Dan Caine. General Caine begins with a discussion of the KC-135 refueling aircraft. WATCH:
During an impromptu press availability last night, President Trump was asked about potential Iranian sleeper cells or groups sympathetic to Iran that are active on U.S. soil.
Obviously, the threat from groups and individuals sympathetic to Iran creates an increased need for the Dept of Homeland Security and FBI to operate enhanced domestic surveillance, an unfortunate outcome that further enhances the need for FISA(702) authorities.
When this potential terror threat is combined with the millions of people who crossed the U.S. southern border during the Biden administration, the Palantir project within Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), the need for rapid and aggressive deportation tracking and the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS), we can reasonably be assured that domestic surveillance will expand.
On the positive side of the issue, recent reports highlight Iranian citizens helping U.S/Israeli drones to target Iran regime officers on the streets in Tehran which has caused the regime police to withdraw from roadblocks and checkpoints. [Well-sourced data here] This type of operation empowers the voices of the citizen opposition to organize. WATCH:
President Trump’s U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently sat down with Greta Van Susteren to outline the point of diplomatic discussions with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi when things broke down.
The Witkoff explanation is interesting as he outlines Iran’s unwillingness to even consider a cease to their ballistic missile program as part of the expanded security talks. According to Envoy Witkoff, Foreign Minister Araghchi was intransigent on several key points of concern; even becoming loud and aggressive as he was pushed to explain why seeking ballistic missiles would be needed.
It’s an interesting background perspective that gives context to the decision that President Trump ultimately reached. WATCH:
Despite the Trump administration pushing maximum transparency, there is a lot of noise and wrong information surrounding the U.S. military operation ‘Epic Fury’ against Iran. Much of the false or incorrect information is coming from consultants to sell their opinions to corporate media.
Whenever the fog of war surrounds military activity that takes place against national security information, it is best practice to listen to the leadership who control and command the actual activity being reported on. CENTCOM Commander Bradley Cooper provides updates on strategic missions. The information is shared via CENTCOM’s X Account. WATCH:
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine hold a press briefing from the Pentagon with updates on Operation Epic Fury. “The First Ten Days” recapped.
General Dan Caine noted CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper will continue delivering intermediate updates. Caine also outlined how targeting of the Iranian missile systems continues as a priority along with the systematic destruction of the Iranian navy assets. Both aspects of the operation continue having maximum success and impact.
General Caine also noted how the third objective of dismantling Iran’s infrastructure systems to mechanize war are intensifying. “We are moving deeper into Iran’s industrial base,” General Caine noted. Missile attack launches from inside Iran have dropped 90%, and one-way drone launches have dropped more than 80%. 50 Iranian vessels have been destroyed by U.S. targeting.
As Iran’s treat capacity to target vessels continues to be degraded, the Strait of Hormuz begins to open.
US West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Futures with April 2026 Expiry, traded at $89.89 per barrel, down by 5.2%. This oil benchmark touched an intraday low of 84.45 and recorded an overall decline of 29.3% from $119.43 per barrel level that was touched on March 9th. Yesterday, US WTI plunged nearly 18%.
Brent Crude Oil Price: Brent crude has nosedived by nearly 26.2% and touched an intraday low of $88.10 per barrel. This is compared to $119.50 per barrel mark it hit on March 9. Yesterday, the price dropped nearly 9%. {SOURCE}
Almost all of the corporate news programs today are carbon copies of the same tired talking points, driving home the reality that mainstream U.S. media are concentric circles of the same news feed. Essentially, media reports reporting on media reports, of other organized media reports.
No one seems to be asking any of the core operational and policy questions that can cut to the heart of the matter. ie., “you are doing XXX, what is the intent of this action/policy move, and can you describe in actionable terms what benefit the American people can expect as a result of the anticipated outcome”? Instead, the questions are all hindsight and reactionary. Frankly, the repetition is mind-numbing.
In this Fox interview, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright answers some of the same questions from the CBS interview, sans the arrogant and condescending tone during the questioning. WATCH:
Energy Secretary Chris Wright appears on Face the Nation to push back against the narrative engineering of CBS’s Margaret Brennan. The video and transcript are below.
[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who joins us this morning from Denver. Good morning to you.
SECRETARY OF ENERGY CHRIS WRIGHT: Thanks for having me Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So 50,000 U.S. troops deployed, six Americans that we know of so far killed in action, civilians stranded. We look at our polling, Mr. Secretary, and we see that this is an unpopular war among the majority of Americans. More than half of them, 56% disapprove. When you speak to energy executives about the scope and duration of American involvement, what do you tell them? How long?
SEC. WRIGHT: I tell them that for 47 years, Iran is warg- waged war against the United States, and they’ve- throughout that 47 years, they’ve tried to undermine the energy development and energy infrastructure of all their neighbors, as they’re doing right now, and it’s time to put it to an end. So yes, we have a, we have a temporary period of elevated energy prices, but it will not be long. In the worst case, this is weeks, this is not months, and it leads to a much better place. It leads to an Iran that’s defanged, that can’t threaten its neighbors, can’t threaten American soldiers and can’t continue to drive up energy prices by making a mess of the Middle East. They can move to commerce, not conflict.
President Trump gives an impromptu press conference aboard Airforce One returning to Florida following the solemn ceremony at Dover Airforce Base. Emissary Steve Witkoff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also delivered some comments on questions from the media.
President Trump answered questions about rising U.S. gas prices saying, this is a confrontation that should have taken place before. For 47 years various presidents have navigated the risk and threats presented by Iran, but President Trump is choosing to end the threat once and for all.
Keeping security issues close to the chest, President Trump refused to directly answer any questions about ongoing operations, targeting or matters of military strategy. At 7:45 of the video Steve Witkoff and Pete Hegseth also answered questions. WATCH:
At 10:35 President Trump was asked his opinion on what Russia would say if confronted about support for Iran, and President Trump showcased how well he knows the Russian approach by saying if we confronted them, Russia would just say the U.S. supports Ukraine against Russia, right? President Trump is correct; Russian President Putin is the master at pointing out hypocrisy in foreign intervention.
At 13:15 President Trump is asked about Kurdish support, and Trump notes the U.S. appreciates the offer but does not want the Kurdish forces to get involved because it only complicates the issues. The Kurds are our allies, and President Trump has had conversations with Kurdish leadership; however, within that friendship Trump notes it would be dangerous for the Kurds to get involved.
In a Truth Social post today, President Trump notes the lack of strategic support from the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and the disappointing response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Vance and other dignitaries participate in a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover AFB for the arrival of six servicemembers killed in Operation Epic Fury. The solemn and silent ceremony is presented below:
O Keeper of the dawn and dusk, hold them beneath Your steadfast wing.
Let the dust of distant roads not dim the light within their eyes.
When the night leans heavy on their shoulders, be the quiet fire in their hearts.
When the wind carries the scent of danger, be the shield they cannot see.
Guide their steps through shadowed valleys, let courage rise like rivers in their veins.
Bring them home to open arms and gentle laughter, and for those who cannot return, wrap them in the eternal peace that no battle can disturb.
