After the firings earthquake, Hegseth plans to cut senior military leadership positions

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intends to announce a reduction of approximately 20% in senior leadership positions within the military, which is double what was previously expected to be announced, according to US media reports on Tuesday.

The Washington Post and news networks Fox and ABC reported, citing US officials, that Hegseth will announce the new measures in his speech on Wednesday regarding the "State of the Force" at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

This move comes after a series of dismissals and blocked promotions.

According to the newspaper, since taking office, Hegseth has adopted a strict management style, reshaping the military command hierarchy through dismissals and rank reductions, often targeting women and minorities.

Although the United States has been at war with Iran since February 28, Hegseth dismissed Army Chief of Staff General Randy George in April.

Days before the outbreak of the war, two members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were also dismissed: Chairman General Charles Brown Jr. and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

A number of senior military leaders left service through retirement or resignation, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who resigned earlier this month following repeated disagreements with Hegseth.

The Pentagon did not respond to AFP's request for comment.