US Promises a 'Rain of Doom' from the Sky, Iran Brands Nazi Mentality
The senior United States official openly claimed the success of military operations against Iran, even asserting that Washington is destroying Tehran’s government ‘without mercy’. In remarks to reporters on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US military had relaxed engagement rules and was now operating with fewer restrictions in Iranian airspace.
“Iranian leaders look up and only see the power of the United States and Israel overhead every minute, every day, until we decide that it’s all over, and Iran will not be able to do anything about it,” Hegseth said, reported by Al Jazeera.
He added that US jets operating over Iran now “control the skies, selecting targets”, bringing “death and destruction from the sky, all day long”.
“This was never meant to be a fair fight, and indeed it is not a fair fight,” said Hegseth. “We strike them when they are down, and that is how it should be.”
The remarks drew sharp condemnation from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described Hegseth’s remarks as an open admission of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Only Nazi mentality could coldly unleash death and destruction upon another nation merely to ‘satisfy the orders’ of its boss,” Baghaei wrote in a post on X.
But Washington’s tone did not stop there. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt then echoed the defence secretary’s statements in a separate appearance on the same day.
“In the coming hours, we will achieve air superiority, which means the American military will rain missiles and weapons on Iran to strike targets identified as highly important to disable by the Department of War,” Leavitt said.
Accusations of Attacks on Civilian Targets
The Iranian government previously reported that many strikes by the US and Israel targeted civilian targets across the country, including schools and hospitals.
Baghaei on Wednesday detailed a number of incidents he said were joint US-Israeli attacks on civilian locations, such as residential buildings, street markets, and medical service centres.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the early hours of the US-Israeli military campaign that began on 28 February. An air strike hit a girls’ school in Minab, a southern Iranian city, killing 165 people.
In response to the incident, Leavitt said the Pentagon was investigating the event.
“I reiterate that the Department of War and the American armed forces do not target civilians,” she told reporters.
In a briefing earlier the same day, the Pentagon also displayed a map illustrating US strikes in Iran during the first 100 hours of the offensive. According to the graphic, two strikes appear to have occurred in or near Minab.
War Expands in the Region
Since the conflict began, the US and Israel have killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other senior officials. The two countries have also attacked Iranian ships and military installations in various areas.
However the conflict has rapidly escalated into a regional war with no signs of abating.
Iran itself was accused of launching missiles and drones at civilian targets in the Gulf region, including energy facilities, hotels, and airports.
Despite thousands of airstrikes by the US and Israel, the power structure of the Islamic Republic has held so far. There is no sign of significant internal challenge to the ruling system.
Amid the suffering, destruction, and a mounting refugee wave spreading across the Middle East, US President Donald Trump praised the course of the military operation.
“And we did it very well on the battlefield, if I may put it simply,” Trump said.
“Someone asked, ‘On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate it?’ I replied about 15,” he added.