Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Tuesday morning press conference that the U.S. had achieved "a historic military victory" over Iran, as he faced a House impeachment resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Hegseth defended the military campaign that began in February and said Washington can "maintain oversight" of Iranian nuclear sites.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Tuesday morning press conference that the U.S. had achieved "a historic military victory" over Iran, as he faced a House impeachment resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.

Hegseth defended his tenure as Pentagon chief, including the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, which began in February, and last summer's 12-day U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran.

"More than 13,000 targets struck. Their navy sunk. Their air force grounded. Their defense industrial base gone," Hegseth said, listing military statistics from the conflict to date.

"More than 80% of their nuclear industrial base gone. Their military in ruin. The ironclad blockade unbroken. We control the Strait of Hormuz. Crazy Islamists in Tehran will never, ever have a nuclear weapon. A historic effort only made possible by a courageous commander in chief," Hegseth added, referring to President Donald Trump.

Of the president, Hegseth said: "He did not kick the can. He kicked their teeth in." He continued: "We will not apologize for destroying the capabilities of a regime that chants, 'Death to America.' And if that regime makes one wrong move, as the president said, we remain locked and loaded with the full weight and lethality of Central Command."

The defense secretary also said the U.S. can "maintain oversight" of Iranian nuclear sites and any attempts by Tehran to reconstitute its military capabilities. "We're able to maintain oversight and visibility of those nuclear sites. And if we saw the kind of nefarious activity that required action, we would take it," Hegseth said.

Hegseth called the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports "ironclad," suggesting that operation -- alongside the damage done to Iran's industrial base -- means Tehran's "ability to reconstitute is much less than ours." "We know that they're going to attempt to reconstitute. We know that we are in a much stronger position," he said.

The secretary acknowledged that the ongoing war with Iran is "not necessarily popular" among American voters, when asked about the role the conflict played in the heavy Republican defeat in the midterm elections. Vice President JD Vance last week publicly blamed the conflict for the historic Democratic Party victory. Asked about Vance's remarks, Hegseth said he did not want to engage in "finger pointing."

Hegseth said the war was launched "for the right reasons, to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon," paraphrasing Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "It's not necessarily popular, but it may have been necessary. And that's certainly how I feel. It was a necessary undertaking."

Talks between the U.S. and Iran remain stalled despite the two countries signing a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the war, which began with joint American-Israeli strikes on the country in February. The opening strikes killed a host of top Iranian officials and commanders, among them Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The two sides have continued to exchange strikes, though have not returned to the intense fighting seen in the early stages of the conflict.

The U.S. says it is enforcing a naval blockade of the country's Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman ports, while Iran claims control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and continues to claim attacks on shipping transiting the waterway. Meanwhile, intensified fighting between Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has seen the latter repeatedly attack Saudi military, oil infrastructure and transport facilities.

President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. will maintain the "status quo" with Iran, indicating that he would do so "at the behest" of America's regional partners. Trump spoke with reporters after meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, describing Iran as a "failing country." The president also indicated that there are talks underway, adding that the conversations seem to be going well, saying there's a "good chance" that the war could end soon. "And they're talking to us and they're talking very politely. Then we'll see what happens. But there's a good chance that that could get ended," Trump said.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie reintroduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with a vote in the House expected as early as this week. Asked about the possibility of Republicans voting with Democrats to impeach Hegseth, Trump said: "Well, I'd be disappointed in them. Look, Pete has won two wars."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; President Donald Trump; Vice President JD Vance; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Republican Rep. Thomas Massie; Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani