Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine are briefing reporters at the Pentagon as the U.S. campaign against Iran enters its fifth day. It’s their second briefing since the offensive began Saturday.
The U.S. military has hit more than 2,000 targets in Iran, including command and control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, and IRGC headquarters.
So far, six U.S. service members have been killed and 10 seriously wounded, a U.S. official told CBS News. On Monday, Caine said the military expected to take “additional losses.”
Hegseth on Monday also outlined the U.S. military objectives, which included destroying Iranian offensive missiles and their production, in addition to Iran’s navy and other security infrastructure. He did not offer an update on the progress so far or an estimated timeline for the duration of the operation.
On Tuesday, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby was asked during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing why it was necessary for the U.S. to take military action against Tehran over the weekend.
Colby referred to remarks made by Hegseth, Caine, and President Trump, who’ve spoken of the “rapid buildup and reconstitution” of Iran’s missile and one-way attack drone capabilities, but did not give a specific reason for what prompted President Trump’s order to begin the operation last weekend.
How to watch the Iran briefing by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine
- What: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine brief on Iran operations
- Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
- Time: 8 a.m. ET
- Location: The Pentagon
- Online stream: Live on CBS News 24/7
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hegseth-caine-iran-war-operations-briefing-2026-03-04/
