US not seeking war with Iran after striking three nuclear sites: Pentagon

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that America does not seek war with Iran in the aftermath of a surprise attack overnight on three of that country's nuclear sites.

The mission, called Operation Midnight Hammer, involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference.

This mission was not and has not been about regime change, Hegseth added.

Caine said the goal of the operation destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan had been achieved.

Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction, Caine said.

President Donald Trump described US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan as a “spectacular military success” and added that the sites were “completely and totally obliterated” in an address from the White House on Saturday evening. Trump warned Iran that the US could go after additional targets if Iran does not make peace.

 

Earlier, in a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the mission had concluded with all US aircraft safely exiting Iranian airspace after delivering a full payload on Fordow — the most heavily fortified of the sites.

 

“We have successfully struck three nuclear facilities in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All aircraft have now left Iranian airspace and are en route home,” Trump said. “A full payload of bombs was dropped on Fordow, the primary target. Every one of our brave pilots is safe. No other military in the world could have achieved this. Now is the time for peace.”