The Iranian military vows to fight ‘until total victory,’ despite heavy losses
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Iran’s military spokesman defiantly vowed Tuesday that Tehran’s forces would fight “until complete victory,” despite heavy losses in a joint US-Israeli campaign.
The comments of Maj. General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central headquarters, Iran’s top military official, comes after President Donald Trump suspended planned US strikes on Iran on Monday, citing progress in communications.
“The powerful forces of Iran are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory,” Iran’s state television quoted Aliabadi as saying, according to the Associated Press. He added that Aliabadi did not say what “total victory” would look like.
Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, resulted in the destruction or damage of more than 140 Iranian warships, the US Central Command said on Monday. In total, more than 9,000 combat aircraft were flown as part of the campaign.
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The US military struck 16 Iranian ships that had been laid with mines on March 10, according to CENTCOM. (US Central Command/X)
“CENTCOM forces aim to disrupt the Iranian regime’s security forces, targeting high-risk areas,” CENTCOM said.
Targeted assets include Iranian Navy ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communications infrastructure and facilities involved in missile and drone production.
On Friday, Trump, speaking of Iran, said, “Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their fighter jets are gone.”
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the start of Operation Epic Fury. (Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)
“Their leaders are all gone. The next set of leaders are gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone,” Trump continued. “Now, no one wants to be a leader there. We are facing difficulties. We want to talk to them, there is no one we can talk to.”
Trump also said, “In the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and power of our sailors and airmen as they have been engaged in some of the most complex and successful military operations ever against the Iranian regime.”
A U.S. sailor demonstrates the launch of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while supporting Operation Epic Fury at sea on Feb. 28. (US Navy via Getty Images)
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“And it’s amazing … I don’t want to get too crazy here, it’s not a competition. It’s not even a competition. They do whatever they want,” Trump said.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
