Posted on 06/22/25
| News Source: FOX News
Washington, D.C. – June 22, 2025 – In the early hours of Sunday morning, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine addressed the press from the Pentagon, detailing what they called a “precision and overwhelming” American military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities—part of what is now known as Operation Midnight Hammer.
Following orders from President Donald Trump, the U.S. struck three major nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—with Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from submarines, and what officials described as the “longest B-2 stealth bomber mission since 2001.”
“The order from the President was clear and focused,” Hegseth said. “We devastated the Iranian nuclear program without targeting Iranian forces or civilians.”
The operation was timed to follow Israel’s earlier pre-emptive actions, with President Trump stating that the U.S. and Israel worked together in unprecedented coordination. In his Saturday night address from the White House, flanked by VP JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Hegseth himself, Trump declared the attacks a “spectacular military success,” claiming the facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.”
The Pentagon emphasized deception tactics to ensure tactical surprise, including false signals involving B-2 bombers seemingly headed toward Guam, while the real strike force flew east from the U.S.
According to Gen. Caine, “Very few in Washington knew the specifics. The decoy operations were essential to maintaining surprise and effectiveness.”
Trump reiterated the intent was not war, but deterrence. “Iran must now make peace,” he said. “If not, future attacks will be far greater and far easier.”
Hegseth concluded the briefing with a firm message: “Iran knows exactly what we’re asking for. They now have a choice—sit down, or face further consequences.”
Meanwhile, Iranian officials remained publicly silent, though Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hinted that diplomacy with the West was now "unlikely." He is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
With global tensions high, the White House maintains it remains open to diplomacy—but under no illusions about the cost of further aggression.
Caption: U.S. military strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites mark the largest show of American air power in the region in decades.