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US-Israel Hit 15,000+ Targets in Iran; 1,000 Strikes Daily, Says Pentagon

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that combined US and Israeli forces have struck over 15,000 targets in Iran since February 28, averaging more than 1,000 per day. He claimed Iran's missile and drone capabilities have been drastically reduced and characterized its armed forces as severely weakened. The briefing also addressed the crash of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft in Iraq, which killed four American service members. The conflict escalated following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in late February.

Key Points: US, Israel Strike Over 15,000 Targets in Iran: Pentagon

  • 15,000+ targets hit since Feb 28
  • Over 1,000 strikes per day
  • Iran's military capabilities degraded
  • KC-135 crash kills 4 US crew
  • Conflict escalated after Khamenei killing
3 min read

US-Israel hit more than 15,000 enemy targets in Iran since February 28, over 1,000 a day: Pentagon

Pentagon claims US-Israel forces have hit over 15,000 targets in Iran, degrading Tehran's military, as conflict escalates after Khamenei's death.

"Between our Air Force and that of the Israelis, over 15,000 enemy targets have been struck. - Pete Hegseth"

Washington DC, March 13

United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday claimed that US and Israeli forces have struck over 15,000 enemy targets in Iran, while claiming that Tehran's military capabilities have been significantly degraded as the conflict enters its fourteenth day.

Speaking alongside the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, during a Pentagon briefing, the War Secretary also expressed his concern over the crash of a KC-135 refuelling aircraft in western Iraq that killed four American service members.

"Between our Air Force and that of the Israelis, over 15,000 enemy targets have been struck. That's well over 1,000 a day. We're on a plan to defeat, destroy, and disable all of their meaningful military capabilities at a pace the world has never seen before. Soon and very soon, all of Iran's defence companies will be destroyed," Hegseth said.

"Their missile volume is down 90 per cent. Their one-way attack drones yesterday were down 95 per cent, and as the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz, something we're dealing with," he added.

He further characterised Iran's armed forces as vastly weakened, asserting, "Iran has no air defences, Iran has no air force, Iran has no navy."

On the crash incident of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq, Hegseth said that "War is hell" and called the four service members who died in the incident "American heroes."

"War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them. And as I have with all of them, as we have, we will greet those heroes at Dover, and their sacrifice will only recommit us to the resolve of this mission," he added.

Earlier today, the US CENTCOM confirmed the deaths of four crew members after a US refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday.

In a statement, the US CENTCOM said that a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down at approximately 2 pm Eastern Time on March 12, with six crew members on board the aircraft at the time of the incident.

It further stated that rescue operations are currently underway. CENTCOM further clarified that the loss of the aircraft was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire.

The conflict in the West Asia escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on February 28, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.

- ANI

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Priya S
Over 15,000 targets? 1,000 a day? The human cost must be catastrophic. This isn't just about military assets; civilians always suffer the most in such bombardments. My heart goes out to the ordinary Iranian people caught in this. And the US Secretary calling it a "plan to defeat, destroy, and disable" sounds chillingly absolute. Where is the room for peace talks?
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Rohit P
The immediate concern for us is oil prices and the safety of Indian ships. If Hormuz is disrupted, our economy takes a direct hit. We need to fast-track our alternative energy plans and diversify oil imports. This conflict shows why being dependent on a volatile region is a strategic vulnerability for India.
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Sarah B
The loss of the KC-135 and the four crew members is a sobering reminder of the costs, even for the side with overwhelming firepower. "War is hell" is an understatement. The rhetoric from the Pentagon about destroying *all* defence companies seems to aim for total subjugation, not just de-escalation. A worrying precedent for international relations.
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Vikram M
From an Indian strategic perspective, a significantly weakened Iran is a double-edged sword. It reduces one source of regional instability but also creates a power vacuum. It strengthens the US-Israel axis, which doesn't always align with our interests. Our foreign policy has to walk a very careful, neutral line right now. Jai Hind.
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Karthik V
The claim that Iran has "no air force, no navy" seems like propaganda to demoralize. Even if degraded, a country doesn't lose all capabilities in two

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