US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted on March 13, 2026, that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “injured and probably disfigured” from US-Israeli strikes, mocking his written statement as evidence of weakness amid Operation Epic Fury.
Hegseth’s Pentagon Briefing
Hegseth highlighted over 15,000 strikes crippling Iran’s missile production and bases, with today’s attacks the highest volume yet. He ridiculed Khamenei’s absence from video, claiming leadership is in disarray as IRGC hides like “rats,” while vowing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for energy flows.
Khamenei’s Defiant Response
Khamenei, appointed March 8 after his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination, pledged in Thursday’s address to block the strait and target US bases unless closed by neighbors, amid 1,444 Iranian deaths reported.
War Escalation Context
Hegseth’s claims follow Khamenei’s Hormuz vow, as Trump plans intensified strikes; no independent verification of injuries exists amid conflicting narratives from both sides.
