The Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, and Gen. Dan Caine held a Pentagon Press Briefing following the airstrike on three Iranian nuclear installations on Sunday.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the overnight airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “an incredible and sweeping success,” asserting that Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions “have been neutralized.”
Hegseth stated that the operation was the result of months of strategic planning and weeks of military positioning, ensuring all forces were ready the moment President Trump issued the order.
He emphasized that President Trump “seeks peace” and urged Iran to “choose the path of diplomacy over conflict.”
Hegseth stressed that the American operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities “was not and is not about regime change.” Instead, he described it as “a precision strike aimed at neutralizing threats posed by Iran’s nuclear program to our national interests.”
Hegseth noted that the mission was months in the making, designed to ensure the U.S. military was fully prepared for any scenario. “It required extreme precision. It involved deception and the highest level of operational security,” he said, adding that American B-2 bombers “entered and exited the nuclear sites undetected.”
In a dramatic turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a large-scale airstrike against Iran early Sunday morning, targeting the country’s nuclear facilities with high-powered bombs.
In a stark warning to Tehran, Trump—who once campaigned on avoiding foreign military entanglements—threatened additional attacks if Iran dares to retaliate. He branded Iran as the “bully of the Middle East,” signaling a hardline stance amid rapidly escalating regional tensions.
In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister condemned the U.S. strikes as “outrageous,” claiming they hit “peaceful nuclear facilities” and vowing that the attacks would carry “eternal consequences.”
