March 13, 2026 — Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine held one of the most dramatic and wide-ranging Pentagon press briefings of the ongoing Iran war on Friday morning — covering everything from the devastating KC-135 Stratotanker crash in western Iraq to the condition of Iran's new supreme leader, the status of the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. nuclear options, the investigation into a bombed Iranian elementary school, and a stunning attack on the American press corps itself.
Here is a complete breakdown of everything that was said — and what it means.
Opening: 'Bad Things Can Happen' — Hegseth Addresses KC-135 Crash
Hegseth opened the briefing by addressing the crash of a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft in western Iraq on Thursday afternoon — the deadliest single incident for U.S. forces since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28.
At the time of the briefing, four of the six crew members had been confirmed dead, with rescue operations still ongoing for the remaining two. Later Friday morning, U.S. Central Command confirmed all six were killed.
"War is hell, war is chaos," Hegseth told reporters. "And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them."
General Caine provided the operational details. He confirmed the aircraft went down over friendly territory while on a combat mission and that the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. The circumstances remain under active investigation by CENTCOM.
"To the families of our fallen, we grieve with you today," Caine said solemnly. "The Joint Force remains eternally grateful for your sacrifice and the gift of a great example that your service members have given all of us."
Iran's New Supreme Leader: 'Wounded, Scared, and On the Run'
In one of the briefing's most explosive moments, Hegseth made a sweeping claim about the condition of Iran's newly installed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury.
"His father: dead. He's scared. He's injured. He's on the run. And he lacks legitimacy," Hegseth declared. "It's a mess for them. Who's in charge? Iran may not even know."
Hegseth pointed to a written statement Khamenei had released the day before as evidence of the new supreme leader's weakened state. "Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders," he said. "Why a written statement? I think you know why."
Hegseth went further, directly stating that Mojtaba Khamenei is "wounded and likely disfigured" — a claim U.S. officials have not yet backed with publicly released intelligence. The White House did not issue a formal statement supporting or clarifying the assertion.
Strait of Hormuz: 'That Is Not a Strait We Will Allow to Remain Contested'
The Strait of Hormuz — the critical chokepoint through which approximately 20% of global oil exports pass — remained the central economic flashpoint of the briefing. Iran has effectively closed the waterway since the war began, striking tankers and cargo vessels and sending global energy markets into turmoil.
Hegseth told reporters that the U.S. had heard Iran discussing the possibility of placing new mines in the Strait, but stated emphatically: "We have no clear evidence of that."
However, he left no ambiguity about the U.S. position: "That is not a strait we're going to allow to remain contested," Hegseth said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent separately confirmed Friday that the U.S. Navy — potentially alongside an international coalition — would begin escorting vessels through the Strait as soon as it is militarily possible.
General Caine laid out the military action being taken to restore passage through the waterway:
"U.S. forces are continuing to target Iran's ballistic missiles and continuing to destroy the Iranian navy — and this means going after Iran's mining capability and destroying their ability to go after commercial vessels."
War Objectives: 15,000 Targets Struck, Iranian Military 'Destroyed'
Caine gave a detailed operational update on the progress of Operation Epic Fury as it entered its 14th day:
- 🎯 U.S. forces alone have struck approximately 6,000 targets in Iran as of Thursday
- 🎯 U.S. and Israel combined have struck more than 15,000 enemy targets — per Hegseth
- 🚀 Ongoing strikes have resulted in a 90% reduction in Iranian missile launches against Israel and Persian Gulf allies (confirmed at a prior briefing)
- ⚓ More than 20 Iranian naval vessels and one submarine have been destroyed
- 🏭 Iran's military-industrial base — the companies and technical systems used to manufacture weapons — has been comprehensively destroyed, per Hegseth
"The Iranian war machine is destroyed," Hegseth declared. "The Mullahs in Iran are no longer in control of the governing system. The IRGC is being degraded daily."
Caine identified three ongoing military objectives guiding CENTCOM's operations: continuing to destroy Iran's missiles and drone capability; striking the Iranian navy; and targeting Iran's broader military and industrial base.
Friday: 'Highest Volume of Strikes Yet' Launched Over Tehran
Hegseth announced at the briefing that Friday would see the most intense day of U.S. airstrikes on Iran since Operation Epic Fury began — surpassing all previous days.
"Yet again, the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran and Tehran — ramping up and only up," he said.
Israel's military simultaneously announced "wide-scale waves of strikes" on Tehran Friday morning. Residents of the Iranian capital reported nonstop explosions overnight. At least one person was killed in a strike near crowds attending Al Quds Day marches in Tehran.
Nuclear Options: 'We Have Options, For Sure'
In a moment that sent a chill through the briefing room, Hegseth was asked directly: would the U.S. military need to physically take control of Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles in order to conclude the military operation and prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon?
Hegseth declined to answer fully but offered a pointed response: "We have options, for sure."
He added that the U.S. retains all options necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon — one of the three stated core objectives of Operation Epic Fury alongside destroying Iran's missile capabilities and degrading its naval forces.
Analysts noted the answer stopped short of ruling out a physical seizure or destruction of Iran's enriched uranium — a scenario that would require boots on the ground inside Iran, something Hegseth has previously said does not currently exist.
Iranian Elementary School Strike: Formal Investigation Ordered
Hegseth was also pressed on one of the war's most sensitive and damaging controversies: reports that a U.S. strike had bombed an Iranian elementary school, killing children.
Hegseth confirmed that CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper had ordered a formal command investigation — a more serious and structured inquiry than the initial review — conducted by an investigating officer from outside CENTCOM to avoid any appearance of bias.
He declined to give a timeframe for the investigation's completion. A command investigation can lead to formal accountability actions, including disciplinary proceedings, if misconduct or negligence is found.
The incident has become a flashpoint internationally, with multiple foreign governments and human rights organizations demanding answers. The White House has said it takes the reports seriously but has not yet publicly acknowledged U.S. responsibility.
Hegseth Attacks the Press: 'Fake News' and 'Intentional' Headlines
In one of the most unusual moments of any Pentagon briefing in recent memory, Hegseth — a former Fox News host — turned his fire on the journalists sitting directly in front of him.
"Some in this crew, in the press, just can't stop," Hegseth told reporters. He accused journalists of writing headlines "intentionally" to damage the administration's image and suggested alternative, more flattering headlines they should use instead.
Hegseth specifically targeted a CNN report — later confirmed by multiple outlets — which cited senior officials saying the Trump administration had underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz as retaliation for the military campaign.
"More fake news from CNN," Hegseth declared. "Patently ridiculous, of course."
The outburst came in a Pentagon press environment that has been notably hostile to independent journalism since Hegseth took office. Dozens of Pentagon correspondents had their press credentials revoked last year after Hegseth imposed a policy requiring all reporting to be pre-approved by Pentagon officials — a rule that drew widespread condemnation from press freedom organizations.
The Human and Financial Cost: Day 14
- 🇺🇸 U.S. service members killed: 13 (confirmed by end of March 13)
- 🇺🇸 U.S. wounded: ~140 (8 severe)
- 💸 War cost to U.S. taxpayers: $11.3 billion in 14 days
- 🇮🇷 Deaths in Iran: 1,444+ (Iranian Health Ministry)
- 🎯 Total targets struck: 15,000+ (U.S. and Israel combined)
- ⛽ U.S. gas prices: $3.65/gallon (up from $2.82 one month ago)
- ✈️ U.S. aircraft lost: 4 (including 3 F-15s, 1 KC-135)
What Comes Next?
With Hegseth promising the "highest volume of strikes yet" and Caine confirming the military objectives will take "some time to achieve," there is no sign of an imminent end to Operation Epic Fury. A Quinnipiac poll from March 9 found 53% of Americans oppose the military offensive — a figure likely to shift as the war's economic consequences become more acute.
The next Pentagon briefing is expected within 48 hours, as the conflict continues to evolve rapidly on multiple fronts — military, diplomatic, economic, and informational.
📡 Sources: CBS News, Stars and Stripes, Axios, MS NOW, C-SPAN, The Conservative Treehouse, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) — March 13, 2026.
🔄 Last updated: March 14, 2026. Developing story.
🔖 Tags: Pete Hegseth, Dan Caine, Pentagon Briefing, Iran War, Operation Epic Fury, KC-135 Crash, Strait of Hormuz, Iran War 2026, US Military, Breaking News
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