US War Secretary Hegseth: Iran's Khamenei Wounded, Disfigured in Airstrike

No Voice or Video in Khamenei's Weak Statement

During a briefing focused on the war with Iran , Hegseth responded to Khamenei’s earlier comments made during the campaign, emphasizing the significance of the absence of any voice or video messages from the leader.
"We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured," Hegseth said.
"He put out a statement yesterday - a weak one actually - but there was no voice and no video. It was a written statement. He called for unity. Apparently, killing tens of thousands of protesters is his kind of unity. Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father is dead. He's scared, he's injured, he's on the run, and he lacks legitimacy. It's a mess for them. Who's in charge? Iran may not even know," he added.

Hormuz Threats Dismissed

Hegseth also dismissed Khamenei's warning about using the Strait of Hormuz as a leverage point in the conflict, characterizing Iran's actions as an act of "sheer desperation" in that crucial waterway.
He said, “We have been dealing with it, and don’t need to worry about it.”
“Of course, for decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage,” he added.

15,000 Sites Destroyed

Pete also noted that since February 28, U.S. and Israeli forces have targeted over 15, 000 Iranian installations.
He said, "We’re shooting down and destroying what missiles they still have in stock, but more importantly, ensuring that they have no ability to make more.”
He added, “Their production lines, their military plants, their defence innovation centres – defeated. Iran’s leadership is in no better shape. Desperate and hiding, they have gone underground, cowering. That is what rats do.”

Mojtaba Khamenei's Vow of Retaliation

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, assumed power following his father's death in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28. In a statement on Friday, he made it clear that Iran would not shy away from retaliating for the loss of its citizens.
He also expressed gratitude for Iran’s network of allied armed groups throughout the Middle East, asserting that the “resistance” movements in Yemen and armed factions in Iraq would continue to stand against Iran’s adversaries.