U.S. Showcases Upper Hand in Iran War: "Air Superiority Imminent, First Warship Sunk Since WWII" (Comprehensive)

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On March 4 (local time), U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth prominently showcased the achievements of the U.S. military's operations in relation to the airstrikes against Iran. This is interpreted as an attempt to quash growing concerns about a prolonged war, as public opinion opposing the Iran war prevails, and to emphasize that the United States has swiftly gained the upper hand.

At a briefing held at the Pentagon with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Cane, Secretary Hegseth stated, "The United States is winning decisively, destructively, and mercilessly."

He emphasized, "Although we are only on the fourth day of the operation, the results are astonishing and historic," and added, "Only the United States-only America-can lead such an operation."

Secretary Hegseth said, "If the formidable Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are added to this, it means total destruction for the radical Islamist adversaries in Iran. They are finished, and they know it, or at the very least, they will soon come to know it."

During the briefing, the U.S. military emphasized that it will soon completely dominate Iranian airspace and has already gained the upper hand in the Iran operation. In modern warfare, achieving full air superiority essentially determines the outcome of the war.

Secretary Hegseth stated, "Within less than a week, the two most powerful air forces in the world will fully control the skies over Iran," and added, "I hope everyone understands what 'complete air superiority' and 'uncontested airspace' mean."

'Uncontested airspace' refers to a state in which the U.S. military has seized control of Iranian airspace, leaving virtually no threat from enemy aircraft or surface-to-air missiles. In other words, it means the U.S. Air Force has entirely neutralized Iran's air defense network and can bomb any target it chooses.

Secretary Hegseth stressed, "This means we will continue to fly both day and night. We will find, identify, and eliminate Iran's missiles and defense industry infrastructure. We will fly over Tehran, over all of Iran, and over their capital city."

He added, "This will continue every moment until we decide it is over. There is nothing Iran can do about it."

"Grand Fury": The United States' Military Operation Against Iran Unfolding. AP Yonhap News

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Secretary Hegseth stated that this operation, 'Epic Fury,' has projected twice the aerial firepower compared to the 'Shock and Awe' campaign during the 2003 Iraq War.

The 'Shock and Awe' campaign was a strategy in the early stages of the Iraq War that deployed every available precision-guided weapon, including Tomahawk missiles and stealth bombers, to paralyze the enemy's command and control systems. Its hallmark was to instill psychological fear that victory was impossible and to leave the enemy no opportunity to regroup.

Secretary Hegseth said, "As President Donald Trump has stated, even larger and more frequent waves of attacks are coming soon. Now, we will use 500-pound, 1,000-pound, and 2,000-pound GPS and laser-guided precision bombs, and we have nearly unlimited stockpiles of these weapons."

This is interpreted as an attempt to psychologically pressure Iran's leadership and emphasize that the momentum of the war is now in the United States' favor.

Secretary Hegseth added, "Iran's top leadership is either dead, missing, or hiding in bunkers. The command structure-including generals, officers, and soldiers-has collapsed," and stated, "The Iranian Air Force essentially no longer exists."

Iranian navy frigate undergoing training last month (bottom). Photo by EPA Yonhap News

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Secretary Hegseth also announced that, for the first time since World War II, the U.S. military has sunk an enemy warship with a torpedo.

He said, "Last night, we also sank Iran's main warship, the 'Soleimani.' In addition, in the Indian Ocean, a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship that was considered safe in international waters."

He emphasized, "This is the first instance since World War II of sinking an enemy warship with a torpedo. We are fighting to win."

The 'Soleimani' warship is the latest stealth catamaran patrol vessel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), built with Iran's own technology. For Iran, it was a source of pride as a key asset to counter the U.S. with a modern naval force.

It also carries significant political symbolism. The vessel is named after Commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020. For this reason, Secretary Hegseth remarked during the briefing, "The President has gotten Soleimani twice."

In addition, according to international media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. military also struck another warship, the 'Shahid Sayyad Shirazi.' This demonstrates that the U.S. has achieved complete control not just in the air, but also at sea.

On that day, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also announced via X (formerly Twitter), "The U.S. military has attacked or sunk more than 20 vessels belonging to the Iranian regime."

The U.S. Department of Defense reiterated that the objectives of this operation are: destroying Iran's missile and drone capabilities; eliminating naval and key military infrastructure; and blocking the country's ability to develop nuclear weapons.

Secretary Hegseth stated, "Iran will never possess nuclear weapons," and explained, "The goal of this war is to destroy Iran's missile and drone production facilities, eliminate its navy and critical security infrastructure, and block the path to nuclear weapons development."

He added, "There will be no more ambiguous red lines or endless negotiations as in the past. We are executing an operation that has been prepared for months, and this operation cannot be stopped."

In particular, Secretary Hegseth made it clear that the U.S. military maintains the initiative in this war. When asked whether Iran might endure longer than the United States, he replied, "Iran cannot outlast us. Through our offensive and defensive capabilities, we will set the tone and pace of this fight."

Secretary Hegseth also stated, "We may say the operation will take four weeks, but it could be six weeks, eight weeks, or even three weeks."

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