The Pentagon confirmed U.S. aerial strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, as claimed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who described the operation as an ‘incredible and overwhelming success’ that ‘obliterated’ Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The strikes, part of the operation codenamed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ involved over 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, reconnaissance planes, refueling tankers, and fighter jets. The attacks targeted nuclear sites in Fordow and Natanz, with a cruise missile salvo striking the Isfahan facility. The Pentagon emphasized that the operation was conducted with global precision and coordination, reflecting the U.S.’s ability to project power.
Hegseth warned Tehran against retaliation, stating that ‘both public and private messages being directly delivered to the Iranians’ that it would be a ‘very bad idea.’ He stressed that the United States would respond very strongly to any Iranian attack on US interests or allies in the region. Shortly after the attack, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned the strikes as a violation of international law and all relevant treaties. Tehran reserves ‘all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people,’ the top diplomat warned.