Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military's coordinated strikes on June 21 targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities—codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer—“devastated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, aiming to eliminate their enrichment infrastructure without harming civilians or military personnel.
In a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth emphasized that Operation Midnight Hammer, launched under President Trump’s authorization, destroyed key sites including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. He described the precision strikes as “incredible and overwhelming,” highlighting the deployment of B‑2 stealth bombers, submarine-fired Tomahawk cruise missiles, and earthen-penetrating GBU‑57A/B bunker-buster bombs to ensure maximum impact and surprise.
General Dan Caine, representing U.S. Central Command, affirmed that the damage to Iran's nuclear program has been “extremely severe,” and initial assessments confirm no civilian or troop casualties. Hegseth made it clear that the strikes were narrowly targeted to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, not designed to topple their government. He insisted that the operation was a strategic move to enforce deterrence and restore American military credibility globally, echoing Trump: “When this President speaks, the world should listen”.
International reactions have been mixed. Israeli leadership praised the action, while countries like Russia, China, and Turkey urged restraint and called for diplomatic intervention. The United Nations warned that military escalation may spiral out of control .
Domestically, support came mostly from Republican figures such as Senator Lindsey Graham, who described it as a needed strategic blow, whereas Democrats urged congressional oversight of military strikes, raising concerns about bypassing constitutional war powers.
Despite heightened tensions, Vice President JD Vance clarified that the strikes were aimed solely at dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, not directed at harming civilians. Hegseth echoed this, asserting that America is "not seeking war, but we will respond firmly when our interests are threatened".
The U.S. strikes represent a significant escalation in the Iran‑Israel conflict, aimed squarely at dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. With Operation Midnight Hammer deemed operationally successful and yet politically and diplomatically contentious, its true impact will depend on how Iran responds—with either further retaliation or a move toward renewed negotiations.
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