U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Monday at the Pentagon that while no American troops are currently in Iran, the United States is prepared to "go as far as we need to go" to achieve its war goals. He declined to comment on future troop deployments. Hegseth, alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, indicated that the joint U.S.-Israel bombing initiative, codenamed "Epic Fury," is not an overnight operation and will take time to achieve its military objectives, acknowledging the expectation of further U.S. losses. This briefing marked the first public outline of combat operations by Trump administration officials since hostilities began on Saturday. Iran's security chief vowed fierce self-defense, and reports indicate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at age 86.