US insists the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a press conference at the Pentagon, June 26, 2025. Photo from US DoD
By: Manuel Mogato | Published: June 29, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Washington – US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US air strike had destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, denying reports the precision bombing failed to cripple the nuclear program.
In a press conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth’s announcement puts to rest speculation stemming from recently leaked intelligence reports, which claimed that Iran’s nuclear program may have only been temporarily set back.
“These are baseless fabrications,” Hegseth said. “The real-time ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] feeds monitored all known storage and transfer points. No movement occurred before impact.”
Hegseth told journalists that an intelligence assessment from the National Reconnaissance Office and satellite-based infrared imagery confirmed that all three sites were destroyed beyond any possible recovery.
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During the press conference, Secretary Hegseth addressed rumors suggesting Iran had preemptively relocated enriched uranium and sensitive equipment. He emphasized that misinformation was likely a deliberate effort to obscure the scale of the strategic setback suffered by Tehran.
US Air Force General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, details the GBU-57’s destructive power in the same press briefing, confirming the destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The operation, “Midnight Hammer”, was conducted with unmatched stealth and precision, involved a coordinated strike package that included B-2 Spirit bombers, F-22 Raptors, and F-35 fighter jets for air cover, as well as RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft for real-time intelligence collection.
A total of 14 GBU-57 bombs were deployed in a synchronized sequence targeting entry shafts, ventilation systems, and central reactor cores. The Pentagon confirmed that all munitions functioned as intended, with zero in-flight anomalies or targeting deviations.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who were both involved in briefing the President before and after the operation, confirmed that rebuilding Iran’s nuclear capacity would require a minimum of five to eight years under optimal conditions. Given international sanctions and heightened surveillance, such reconstruction is deemed virtually impossible in the near future.
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