US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared on Sunday that the United States has severely damaged Iran’s nuclear program following coordinated military strikes on three key nuclear facilities.
The announcement came during a Pentagon press briefing, where Hegseth detailed the scale and intent of the high-risk operation.
Hegseth confirmed that the operation, codenamed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’, targeted Iran’s major nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
He said the mission was executed under direct orders from President Donald Trump and involved months of planning and secrecy.
“The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, powerful, and clear,” Hegseth stated. “We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme.”
The Pentagon revealed that the strike involved over 125 military aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, and more than 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The operation aimed to disable Iran’s nuclear enrichment infrastructure and deter further development of nuclear weapons.
In a televised address, President Trump praised the military’s execution of the operation.
“A short time ago, the US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime,” he said.
“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and to stop the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success”, he further added.
Vice President JD Vance maintained that the United States is still open to a diplomatic resolution but is fully prepared to respond to any Iranian retaliation.
“We’re prepared if the Iranians do retaliate,” Vance said in a TV interview. “But if they choose to escalate by attacking American troops, that would be a catastrophic mistake.”
Secretary Hegseth echoed the Vice President’s warning, making it clear that the US will respond with overwhelming force if provoked.
“This is not the previous administration,” Hegseth said. “President Trump said no nukes. He seeks peace, and Iran should take that path. He made it clear in a Truth Social post last night: any retaliation by Iran will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”
Also Read: France Voices Concern Over US Strikes On Iran’s Nuclear Sites; Urges Regional Restraint
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