The US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has outlined Donald Trump's three strategic aims in Iran being "executed with ruthless precision".
His claim comes just hours after the US President vowed that the war on the Islamic Republic was "very complete" - but then later declared the conflict was not over.
Earlier today, Mr Trump told reporters: "We could call it a tremendous success right now… or we could go further, and we’re going to go further.
"We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated."
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Reiterating America's objectives, Mr Hegseth declared Operation Epic Fury's goals are still the same, with Tehran "standing alone and badly losing".
He said: "On day 10 of Operation Epic Fury, we are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives, which are the same as the day I gave my first briefing here on Operation Epic Fury.
"They're straightforward and we are executing them with ruthless precision."
Setting them out, he outlined the goals:
- Destroy Iran's missile stockpiles, their missile launchers and their defense industrial base;
- Destroy Iran's navy; and
- Permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons for all time.
Pete Hegseth said today would be the 'most intense day' of strikes on Tehran
|POOL
"It's a laser-focused maximum authority mission delivered with overwhelming and unrelenting precision. No hesitation, no half measures," he added.
The defence chief stressed Mr Trump's claim yesterday that America is "crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force".
He vowed the nation would refuse to relent until "the enemy is totally and decisively defeated" - but only on their "own timelines and at our choosing".
In yet another eerie warning to Iran, he declared today would be the "most intense day" of strikes on Tehran's Islamic Republic.
LATEST ON THE IRAN WAR:
Mr Trump departing from Florida on his way back to Washington DC
|GETTY
He continued: "This is not 2003. This is not endless nation-building under those types of quagmires we saw under Bush or Obama. It's not even close.
"Our generation of soldiers will not let that happen again. And nor will this President who very clearly ran against those kinds of never-ending, nebulous scoped missions. Those days are dead."
His stark warning echoed that of his boss on Truth Social on Monday night, who wrote: "If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.
"Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again - death, fire, and fury will reign upon them.
"But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen. This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait."
The President's comments came just a few hours after Vladimir Putin pledged his "unwavering support" to Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
The new Ayatollah was chosen eight days after his father was killed in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes 10 days ago.
Nevertheless, Mr Trump vowed that any new leader appointed without his approval would "not last long".
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