, March 5 -- US officials on Wednesday claimed progress in their military campaign against Iran, vowing to crush Tehran's government "without mercy" even as reports of civilian casualties continue to rise.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US military is operating with "little restraint," asserting that Iranian leaders face constant airstrikes from US and Israeli forces, according to Al Jazeera report.

"We are punching them while they're down, which is exactly how it should be," he said, describing jets "bringing death and destruction from the sky all day long."

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt echoed Hegseth, stating that the US will continue "raining missiles and weapons down on Iran" to hit targets deemed crucial by the D...