MEDIA ‘HATRED’ AND ASSESSMENT DISPUTES
US media revealed a preliminary American intelligence evaluation earlier this week that stated the strikes solely set again Iran’s nuclear program by months, protection sharply criticised by Hegseth.
“Whether or not it is faux information CNN, MSNBC or the New York Occasions, there’s been fawning protection of a preliminary evaluation.”
The doc was “leaked as a result of somebody had an agenda to attempt to muddy the waters and make it appear to be this historic strike wasn’t profitable”, Hegseth stated.
He stated the leaked evaluation was a low-confidence report, and cited CIA Director John Ratcliffe as saying it had already been overtaken by more moderen intelligence displaying Iran’s nuclear programme was severely broken and would take years to rebuild.
Trump has additionally lashed out at protection of the intelligence report, calling for journalists to lose their jobs.
Hegseth described the strikes as “traditionally profitable”. His feedback got here after Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Thursday that Iran would reply to any future US assault by placing American navy bases within the Center East. Khamenei, 86, claimed victory after 12 days of warfare and promised Iran wouldn’t give up regardless of Trump’s calls.
Hegseth didn’t definitively state that the enriched uranium and enriching centrifuges on the coronary heart of Iran’s controversial nuclear programme had been worn out, however cited intelligence officers, though giving little element, as saying the nuclear services had been destroyed.
“If you wish to know what is going on on at Fordow, you higher go there and get a giant shovel, as a result of nobody’s below there proper now,” Hegseth stated, referring to the deep-underground nuclear web site.
MILITARY TECHNICAL BRIEFING
Throughout the press convention, the highest US common largely caught to technical particulars, outlining the historical past of the bunker-busting bombs used. Common Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, confirmed a video testing the bombs on a bunker like those struck on Sunday.
Caine declined to supply his personal evaluation of the strike and deferred to the intelligence neighborhood. He denied being below any stress to alter his evaluation to current a extra optimistic view of the US strikes.
He additionally stated he wouldn’t change his evaluation on account of politics. Uniformed navy officers are supposed to stay apolitical and supply their finest navy recommendation.
“I’ve by no means been pressured by the president or the secretary to do something apart from inform them precisely what I am pondering, and that is precisely what I’ve completed,” he stated.
