In a powerful show of force, the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities on Sunday, targeting key sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. According to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the mission was “an incredible and overwhelming success.”
🇺🇸 Pentagon: Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions ‘Obliterated’
At a briefing held shortly after the strikes, Hegseth said the operation was not about regime change, but rather a targeted mission to neutralize a clear threat.
“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” Hegseth said, emphasizing that the strikes were limited to infrastructure, not aimed at Iranian civilians or armed forces.
The operation involved a massive show of US military might, including:
- 14 bunker-buster bombs
- Over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles
- 125+ military aircraft
- Use of deception tactics, decoys, and fighter escorts to ensure mission success and bomber protection
⚠️ Trump’s Bold Strategy: “When This President Speaks, The World Should Listen”
Hegseth credited the mission’s success to former President Donald Trump’s direct involvement and planning, calling it both “bold and brilliant.”
“The operation President Trump planned shows American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth declared.
Trump, in a short televised address from the White House, described the strikes as “the most difficult and perhaps the most lethal” yet.
“Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far… But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill,” Trump warned.
❌ No Plans for Regime Change, US Says
Hegseth reiterated that the goal was not to topple Iran’s leadership, but to defend US national interests and allies such as Israel.
“This mission was not about regime change. The president authorized a precision operation to protect our troops and eliminate nuclear threats.”
🇮🇷 Iran Vows Revenge as Global Tensions Rise
In response, Iran has vowed retaliation, accusing the United States of starting “a dangerous war.” Both Russia and China—key geopolitical adversaries of the US—have condemned the strikes as violations of international law and destabilizing moves in an already volatile region.