War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign and may have suffered severe injuries. The comments came during a Pentagon briefing broadcast live on Newsmax, where Hegseth said the Iranian leadership is under mounting pressure after nearly two weeks of coordinated strikes by American and Israeli forces.

During the briefing, Hegseth said intelligence assessments indicate that Khamenei was wounded during the operation and suggested that his injuries could be significant. He pointed to the absence of any public appearance or recorded message from the Iranian leader as a possible indication of the situation.

“We know the new so-called not so supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth described the Iranian regime as increasingly unstable following the sustained bombardment, claiming that its leadership has been forced into hiding and is struggling to communicate effectively.

According to Hegseth, the administration believes the military campaign is achieving its intended objectives. Appearing alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, he said Iran’s air defense network has largely been neutralized, its air force is no longer operational, and its naval capabilities have suffered severe damage.

He also said that the frequency of Iranian missile and drone attacks has declined sharply as American and Israeli forces continue targeting launch sites, weapons depots, manufacturing facilities, and command infrastructure.

Caine supported that assessment, stating that “Operation Epic Fury” had reached its 13th day and was continuing to make progress toward the goals outlined at the beginning of the campaign. Those objectives include eliminating Iran’s missile threat, severely weakening its defense production capacity, destroying its naval strength, and preventing the regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The goals of the campaign align with what Hegseth previously described in earlier Pentagon briefings as a “laser-focused” operation rather than an extended military engagement in the Middle East.

Officials also emphasized during Friday’s briefing that the Pentagon has no intention of turning the operation into a nation-building effort or a prolonged military occupation.

Hegseth said President Donald Trump has maintained a clear and limited scope for the mission, focusing strictly on protecting U.S. interests. He contrasted the current strategy with what he described as the shifting and unsuccessful missions carried out by earlier administrations.

“We’ve defined these objectives. We’re pursuing those objectives,” Hegseth said.

Gen. Caine also praised the role of U.S. forces participating in the campaign, noting that American troops have carried out precise strikes from land, sea, and air.

He said U.S. artillery units have already deployed advanced missile systems to strike targets far inside enemy territory and destroy several Iranian naval vessels.

The briefing took place a day after a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a mission connected to the conflict.

Caine said the crash was not caused by either hostile or friendly fire. The Associated Press reported that four of the six crew members on board had been confirmed dead, while efforts continued to locate the remaining two.

Officials said the administration’s message Friday was clear: the military campaign remains on course, the strategic objectives remain unchanged, and the Iranian regime is facing mounting pressure as the operation continues under Trump’s peace-through-strength approach.