Washington DC — United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said America is prepared to go “as far as needed” to achieve its objectives in the conflict with Iran, and has explicitly refused to rule out deploying ground troops — including into Tehran itself — as Operation Epic Fury enters a new and potentially more dangerous phase.
Hegseth made the remarks during a 60 Minutes interview with correspondent Major Garrett, in one of the most direct statements yet from a senior administration official about the potential scope of US military involvement in Iran.
“We’re willing to go as far as we need in order to be successful,” Hegseth said. He added that it would be “completely unwise” to take any military option off the table, and confirmed that the administration reserves the right to deploy troops on the ground — either openly or covertly — without giving advance notice to the public, the press, or the enemy.
“President Trump knows — I know — you don’t tell the enemy, you don’t tell the press, you don’t tell anybody what your limits would be on an operation,” Hegseth said.
The comments align with a position Donald Trump has previously signalled. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said sending American troops into Iran remained a possibility if circumstances required it — a statement that drew significant international attention at the time but was not elaborated on by the White House.
Seven US Service Members Killed — Hegseth Warns of More Casualties
Hegseth used the 60 Minutes interview to address the human cost of the conflict directly, acknowledging that further American deaths are likely as military operations continue.
“Things like this don’t happen without casualties,” he said. “There will be more casualties.”
Seven US service members have now been killed in Iranian retaliatory drone strikes across the Middle East. Six Army Reservists died in a strike in Kuwait. A seventh service member later died from injuries sustained in a separate attack in Saudi Arabia. Their deaths represent the heaviest single episode of American military casualties since the opening days of Operation Epic Fury.
The six reservists killed in the Kuwait strike were identified as:
- Nicole Amor, 39
- Cody Khork, 35
- Declan Coady, 20
- Robert Marzan, 54
- Jeffrey O’Brien, 45
- Noah Tietjens, 42
Their remains were returned to the United States on Saturday during a formal transfer ceremony. The identity of the seventh service member, whose death was announced on Sunday, has not yet been publicly released by the Pentagon.
Separately, Sorffly Davius, a National Guard soldier deployed in Kuwait, died during a health crisis unrelated to combat operations. The Pentagon has not yet provided further details on the circumstances of his death.
Ground Troops: The Question Washington Will Not Answer
Hegseth’s refusal to rule out ground troops is significant. Since the opening of Operation Epic Fury, the White House has publicly framed the campaign as an air and naval operation — but senior officials have consistently declined to close the door on a ground component when pressed directly.
The White House previously declined to rule out ground troops in earlier briefings, and Hegseth’s 60 Minutes remarks harden that position into something approaching a doctrine of deliberate ambiguity — keeping Iran uncertain about the boundaries of US intent.
Military analysts have noted that strategic ambiguity is a standard tool in modern conflict management, but that it carries risks in a theatre where miscalculation by either side could rapidly escalate the war. Iran has already launched missile and drone strikes across seven countries in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes, and has warned that Europe could become a legitimate target if Western nations join the coalition.
Iran’s military leadership has responded to previous US escalation warnings by threatening to intensify its own operations. Following Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed a “more intense” response, and Russia has been reported to be secretly feeding Tehran intelligence to help target US forces in the region.
US Bombing Campaign Has Degraded Iranian Capabilities — Pentagon
Despite the casualties and the ongoing threat of escalation, the Pentagon has said the military campaign is achieving its stated objectives. US forces have struck more than 3,000 targets since the opening of Operation Epic Fury, including buried missile sites targeted by B-2 stealth bombers using penetrating munitions. The biggest bombing campaign of the operation reduced Iranian missile attack capacity by 90% and drone attack capacity by 83%, according to Pentagon assessments.
Iran’s death toll has passed 1,200, with the strikes having targeted military infrastructure, command-and-control facilities, and the Revolutionary Guard. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued apologies to neighbouring states whose territory has been struck by Iranian missiles, while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, with Brent Crude trading above $80 per barrel.
Whether the military gains will translate into the political outcome Washington is seeking — or whether they will trigger the kind of escalation Hegseth has now explicitly left on the table — remains the central question of the conflict.
For the latest coverage of Operation Epic Fury and the Iran conflict, visit M10News.com.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as more facts are confirmed.
