Pentagon Chief says US didn't start the conflict with Iran

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States did not start the conflict with Iran but would finish it, vowing to destroy Iranian missiles, missile production, and the Iranian navy, and reiterating that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon. The US and Israel launched a military operation hitting major Iranian cities, including Tehran, which the White House justified as a response to alleged missile and nuclear threats. Iran's IRGC announced a large-scale retaliation, with reports of missiles and drones, regional airspace closures, and state TV reporting Ali Khamenei's killing and 40 days of mourning.