Hegseth Visits CENTCOM Amid Iran Strikes, Hosts Counter-Cartel Summit

Hegseth will meet CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper at MacDill Air Force Base as US forces continue Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale operation launched last week targeting Iran's security and military infrastructure.

"On Thursday, March 5, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will visit US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.," the Department of War said in a statement.

"During the visit, Secretary Hegseth will meet with Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, for updates on Operation Epic Fury."

US and partner forces launched the operation on February 28. The Pentagon said the campaign is aimed at dismantling the Iranian regime's security apparatus and neutralising sites considered an immediate threat.

"US and partner forces launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb 28 to dismantle the Iranian regime's security apparatus, prioritising locations that posed an imminent threat," the statement said.

According to the Pentagon, the opening phase of the operation involved extensive strikes against Iranian military assets.

"The first four days of the large-scale operation included more than 2,000 strikes with over 2,000 precision munitions launched from air, land, and sea," the department said.

Officials said the strikes targeted missile capabilities and naval forces belonging to Iran.

"US forces have decimated the Iranian regime's ballistic missile capabilities and are sinking their naval vessels to the bottom of the sea," the statement said.

Hegseth's visit to CENTCOM comes as the Pentagon intensifies military coordination across multiple regional commands. The secretary is also travelling to Florida to convene a hemispheric security meeting focused on drug cartels and transnational criminal organisations.

The same day, Hegseth will also travel to Doral, Florida, to host the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at US Southern Command headquarters.

"Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will travel to Doral, Florida, tomorrow to host the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at the US Southern Command Headquarters," the Pentagon said.

The meeting will bring together defence and security leaders from across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America to coordinate efforts against organised criminal groups involved in drug trafficking.

"Narco-terrorism is a threat shared by all Western Hemisphere nations," the statement said.

"For decades and across many administrations, narco-terrorists and cartel thugs have trafficked fentanyl and other deadly drugs freely across borders, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans every year."

The Pentagon described the cartels as a growing security threat across the region.

"This organised crime ring presents an extraordinary threat to the security and prosperity of the Western Hemisphere."

The administration has moved to treat these networks as terrorist organisations.

"On President Trump's first day in office, he signed an Executive Order that designated narco-traffickers and cartels as Designated Terrorist Organisations (DTOs)."

Officials say the designation allows the US military to expand its role in countering the networks.

"This crucial distinction has given the US military the ability to better defend our nation and its extended perimeter."

The Pentagon said the conference aims to deepen security cooperation across the region.

"Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the Department is uniting partners across the Western Hemisphere to detect, disrupt, and destroy designated terrorist organisations that fuel violence and corruption."

"Dismantling the narco-terrorist networks that plague our Hemisphere is only possible with partnership."

The United States Central Command oversees American military operations across the Middle East and parts of South and Central Asia. The command plays a central role in US operations involving Iran, regional security, and maritime routes critical to global energy supplies.

US Southern Command, headquartered in Florida, is responsible for military cooperation and security operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions and regional defence partnerships.

- IANS