Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that he met with troops in the U.S. Central Command area on Saturday, revealing for the first time that he had visited the Iran war zone.
Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Mr. Hegseth said the visit was an honor. He declined to identify the bases he visited for security reasons.
“I witnessed the best of America. I witnessed warriors,” he said. “I spoke to Navy and Air Force pilots on the flight line who, every day, both deliver bombs deep into Iran but also shoot down drones while defending their base.”
He said the spirit of those taking part in the war against Iran differs from that in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the focus was on the next troop rotation and a seemingly unending mission.
“I witnessed urgency to finish the job, urgency to achieve mission success,” Mr. Hegseth said. “Not looking at the next rotation, only moving as fast as possible to win.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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