Operation Midnight Hammer: Iran's nuclear ambitions obliterated successfully, says US Defence Secretary

Pete Hegseth

Hours after the United States struck three key Iranian nuclear sites- Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Americans successfully destroyed three key Iranian sites and thereby completely "devastated the Iranian nuclear programme." He also warned Tehran of significant consequences if Tehran attempts to strike American interests.

"The order we received from our commander-in-chief (Donald Trump) was focused; it was powerful and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme," he said at a briefing at the Pentagon.  Hegseth said that the precision strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites took "months" of planning and involved "misdirection".

In a major blow to the nuclear establishment in Iran, the US military on Saturday struck three key nuclear sites in Iran - Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. It is not just a major escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict which the US has now inserted itself into, but the strikes have also raised concerns of a possible radiation, given all targets were nuclear sites.

The US Defence Secretary said that the strikes did not target any civilian or Iranian troops and neither were they part of any regime change operation.  Hegseth added that the strikes did not target any civilian or Iranian troops. "This mission was not, is not about regime change. 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," remarked  Hegseth.

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However, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Sunday it would not allow the development of its "national industry" - an apparent reference to the country's nuclear development - to be stopped. It also said the attacks on its nuclear sites violate international law, without clarifying the extent of the damage from the U.S. strikes that President Donald Trump announced earlier.

Hassan Abedini, deputy political head of Iran's state broadcaster, said Iran had evacuated the three sites some time ago. "The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres and there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would cause radiation and be harmful to our compatriots", according to Reuters.