 "'Iran is increasingly desperate': Hegseth slams media’s Iran war coverage")
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused the media of not being positive enough about America’s military campaign in Iran, which he claims is gaining “unprecedented success.”
As he gave a press conference alongside the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hegseth criticised the news coverage on the war and even suggested alternative headlines for TV news channels.
“What should the banner [on TV] read? How about ‘Iran increasingly desperate’?” he said. One journalist present at the press conference told Hegseth they had been denied entry to the press briefing, along with all print photographers, because some of the pictures of Hegseth taken by them were “unflattering”.
The defense secretary singled out CNN, saying, “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” Ellison, a Trump ally, is the leading contender to acquire CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and has reportedly told Trump administration officials he would implement sweeping changes at the network if the deal goes through.
‘Iran’s military severely degraded’
Hegseth on Friday said that Iran’s military capability has been significantly degraded and that President Donald Trump “holds the cards” in determining the pace and timing of the conflict.
Addressing a press briefing, Hegseth said America’s resolve remains unshakeable as the United States prepares to carry out its highest volume of strikes over Iran to date.
Hegseth said that Iran’s missile stockpiles have been reduced by about 90 per cent and that its one‑way attack drones were down approximately 95 per cent as of Thursday, describing the country’s remaining arsenal as severely diminished.
‘Iran shooting at ships’
On the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said, “The only thing prohibiting traffic in the strait at the moment is Iran shooting at shipping.” He stressed that the US has a plan for every option and will not allow the strait to remain contested.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Hegseth reaffirmed that denying the country the ability to pursue a nuclear weapon remains a core mission.
Hegseth also addressed the deaths of four US service members after a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, stating that “war is hell.”
“War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen,” CNN quoted Hegseth as saying.
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