US, Israel Gain Control of Iranian Skies in Expanding Air Campaign

Hegseth and Caine detail strikes on Iranian Navy, plans for precision bombing

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine provided an update on the U.S. and Israel's advancing military operations in Iran, including gaining control of Iranian airspace, sinking Iranian naval vessels, and degrading Iran's missile and drone capabilities. The briefing outlined the U.S. strategy of overwhelming air superiority and precision strikes to defeat Iran's forces.

Why it matters

The U.S. and Israel's air campaign against Iran represents a major escalation of the conflict, with the potential for significant military and civilian casualties on both sides. The ability to control Iranian airspace gives the U.S. and Israel a strategic advantage, but also raises concerns about the scope and duration of the war.

The details

Hegseth and Caine said the U.S. and Israel will have "complete control of Iranian skies" in the coming days, allowing for around-the-clock airstrikes using precision-guided bombs. They also detailed the sinking of two Iranian naval vessels, including the IRIS Shahid Soleimani corvette, as well as a significant degradation in Iran's missile and drone capabilities. However, Hegseth acknowledged Iran will still be able to launch some attacks.

  • In the first four days of the conflict, the U.S. and Israel have carried out thousands of airstrikes.
  • On Tuesday, the U.S. sank the IRIS Shahid Soleimani, the lead ship of an Iranian missile corvette class.
  • On Wednesday, a NATO missile shot down an Iranian missile headed for Turkey, the first time a NATO member has been drawn into the conflict.

The players

Pete Hegseth

Secretary of War for the United States.

Gen. Dan Caine

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Ali Khamenei

Supreme Leader of Iran, killed in the conflict.

Qassem Soleimani

Former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force, killed in a 2020 U.S. airstrike.

Donald Trump

Former U.S. President who ordered the 2020 airstrike that killed Soleimani.

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What they’re saying

“We will fly all day, all night, day and night, finding, fixing and finishing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military, finding and fixing their leaders and their military leaders flying over Tehran, flying over Iran, flying over their capital, flying over the IRGC, Iranian leaders looking up and seeing only us and Israeli air power every minute of every day until we decide it's over, and Iran will be able to do nothing about it.”

— Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War

“For the first time since 1945, a United States Navy fast attack submarine has sunk an enemy combatant ship using a single mark 48 torpedo to achieve immediate effect, sending the warship to the bottom of the sea. I want to remind everybody that this is an incredible demonstration of America's global reach.”

— Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

“I got [Khamenei] before he got me. I got him first.”

— Donald Trump (ABC News)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This air campaign represents a major escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict, with the potential for significant military and civilian casualties. While the U.S. and Israel have gained a strategic advantage through air superiority, the long-term implications of this war remain uncertain.