Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responds to questions about the Iran war in a March 2, 2026, press conference.

When Secretary of Defense James Mattis addressed the intensification of U.S. combat operations against the Islamic State group in 2017, he assured the American public of his commitment to “get the strategy right” while maintaining “the rules of engagement” to “protect the innocent.”

Mattis’ professional tone was a stark contrast to Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks following the first days of the joint U.S.-Israeli combat operations in Iran.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.