US Defence Secretary confirms success of operation against Iran, says nuclear ambitions are ‘obliterated’

Washington DC: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday confirmed the success of the operation launched by the US in Iran.

In a media briefing with Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, Hegseth said that the US had successfully conducted precision strikes in Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan, Natanz.

“Last night, on President Trump’s order the US Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran- Fordow, Isfahan, Natanz in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear program. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success,” he said.

Hegseth said that the orders from US President and Commander-in-Chief was clear. They ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, it was powerful and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” he said.

Hegseth said that the US did not target Iranian troops or civilians.

“But it’s worth noting that the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people,” he added.

Hegseth said that Trump has been warning Iran for over a decade against procuring a nuclear weapon, and now its ambitions have been obliterated.

“For the entirety of his time in office, President Trump has consistently stated for over 10 years that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon, full stop. Thanks to President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated. Many Presidents have dreamed of delivering the final blow to Iran’s nuclear program, and none could- until President Trump,” he said.

Hegseth further said that US President’s operation was bold and no other military could have conducted this operation.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold, and it was brilliant. Showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen. And the US military? We can back it up. The most powerful military the world has ever known. No other country on planet could have conducted the operation,” he said.

US on Sunday launched strikes on three underground nuclear facilities in Iran. Speaking from the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that America carried out “massive precision” strikes on Iran and warned the latter of further retaliation if peace was not achieved.

Iran condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of international law and vowed to continue its nuclear program.