WASHINGTON (Azat TV) – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine briefed the press on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, to declare the conclusion of major combat operations against Iran. Following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Hegseth touted the success of Operation Epic Fury, asserting that the mission had achieved every objective set by the administration.
Defining the End of Operation Epic Fury
Hegseth framed the 40-day campaign as a decisive victory, claiming that U.S. forces, utilizing less than 10 percent of their combat power, effectively rendered the Iranian military combat-ineffective. According to Gen. Caine, the operation involved strikes on more than 13,000 targets, including 80 percent of Iran’s air defense systems and 95 percent of its naval mine stockpiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the official declaration of a pause in hostilities, Hegseth emphasized that U.S. troops would maintain a significant presence in the region to ensure compliance with the ceasefire terms.
The Disconnect Between Political Narrative and Regional Reality
The Pentagon’s victory lap stands in stark contrast to reports of ongoing instability. State media in Iran confirmed explosions near the Lavan Island Oil Refinery hours after the ceasefire was announced. While Hegseth downplayed these incidents as outside the scope of the peace deal, the administration’s confidence is not universally shared. Vice President JD Vance has publicly characterized the situation as a fragile truce, warning that the calm could evaporate as quickly as it materialized. The discrepancy between the Pentagon’s assessment of a decimated Iranian military and the continued activity of proxies highlights the precarious nature of the current diplomatic window.
Stakes for Regional Stability and U.S. Presence
The immediate goal of the ceasefire is to stabilize global energy markets, which saw oil prices drop following the announcement. However, the long-term success of the agreement depends on Iran’s adherence to the 15-point peace plan, which includes the cessation of uranium enrichment and the removal of nuclear infrastructure. With U.S. forces remaining on high alert and prepared to restart operations at a moment’s notice, the next two weeks will serve as a critical test for whether the declared military triumph can be converted into a sustainable geopolitical settlement.
The strategic divergence between the administration’s definitive declarations of victory and the intelligence community’s cautious monitoring of proxy activity suggests that the conflict has shifted from active kinetic engagement to a high-stakes phase of coercive diplomacy, where the credibility of the U.S. commitment to remain in the region is the primary deterrent against a collapse of the truce.