Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said “turns out the regime who chanted death to America and death to Israel was gifted death from America and death from Israel,” as he touted the outcome of Operation Epic Fury and the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. The remarks came amid escalating regional tensions and global demonstrations following coordinated U.S.-Israeli strikes inside Iran. He further stated, “This is not a so-called ‘regime change war,’ but the regime sure did change.”
Hegseth: "It turns out the regime who chanted 'death to America' and 'death to Israel' was gifted death from American and death from Israel. This is not a so-called 'regime change war,' but the regime sure did change." pic.twitter.com/ekdHGHod5Z
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 2, 2026
Hegseth framed the operation as the culmination of decades of confrontation between Tehran and Washington, describing the Iranian regime as one that had long embraced violent rhetoric and proxy warfare. “We didn’t start this war,” he said, arguing that attacks on American service members and interests over the years were funded and directed by Iranian forces and affiliated militias. He pointed to car bombings, rocket attacks, and roadside explosives that he said were backed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard apparatus.
The defense secretary directly referenced the regime’s long-standing slogan, “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” phrases that have been chanted at Iranian state-sponsored events since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and prominently during the Iran hostage crisis. The slogan has remained a fixture of official rallies and prayers in Iran for decades and is often accompanied by anti-American and anti-Israeli demonstrations.
That chant resurfaced in the aftermath of the latest strikes. In Karachi, Pakistan, protesters gathered outside the U.S. consulate, shouting “Death to America! Death to Israel!” as demonstrations turned violent. Similar unrest was reported in Iraq, where security forces dispersed crowds near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. At the same time, Iranian expatriates in parts of Europe gathered to celebrate the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, highlighting sharp divisions within the global Iranian community.
President Donald Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death in a public statement, calling him “one of the most evil people in History.” The president described the strike as justice for Americans and others killed in attacks attributed to Iran and its proxies. “He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump said. He characterized the moment as “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 28, 2026
Trump also stated that elements of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other security forces were reportedly seeking immunity, adding, “Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!” He indicated that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue as long as necessary to achieve what he described as peace in the Middle East.
Hegseth echoed that resolve, asserting that the strikes were not aimed at prolonged occupation or nation building but at eliminating specific military threats. He described Operation Epic Fury as focused on dismantling Iran’s missile capabilities, naval forces, and nuclear infrastructure.
“President Trump has been very consistent,” Hegseth said, arguing that regimes pursuing nuclear weapons while sponsoring regional violence “cannot have nuclear weapons.”
The killing of Khamenei marks a significant development in the decades-long standoff between Iran and the United States that began with the overthrow of the U.S.-backed shah in 1979 and the subsequent hostage crisis at the American embassy in Tehran. Since then, the slogan “Death to America” has remained a pillar of the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary identity, regularly featured at official events and commemorations.
Hegseth’s statement that the regime’s rhetoric had been answered with force underscores the administration’s framing of Operation Epic Fury as both retaliation and deterrence. As protests and celebrations continue across multiple countries, U.S. officials maintain that the campaign will proceed until its objectives are met.