Hegseth declares victory in war on Iran after ceasefire deal

Jen Judson, Bloomberg News on Apr 8, 2026

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared victory in the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran on Wednesday, a day after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

“Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield,” Hegseth said, using the Pentagon’s name for the war against Iran.

Hegseth spoke after President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire that is meant to see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The vital waterway has been shuttered since the U.S. and Israel launched the disruptive war in late February, causing global energy prices to soar and piling price on the White House to find a diplomatic offramp.

“Iran begged for this ceasefire — and we all know it,” Hegseth said.

While U.S. rationales for the war shifted since the conflict began, Hegseth said the U.S. has accomplished its war aims, including destroying Iranian ballistic missile capabilities, sinking the country’s navy that menaced merchant vessels in the region and bombing the country’s defense industrial base.

With a tentative ceasefire now in place, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine praised the halt in fighting but added: “Let’s be clear, the ceasefire is a pause and the joint force remains ready.”