WASHINGTON: US defence secretary Pete Hegseth insisted on Thursday (Jun 26) that American strikes on Iranian nuclear websites have been a hit, backing President Donald Trump and berating the media for questioning the outcomes of the operation.
American B-2 bombers hit two Iranian nuclear sites with large GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs final weekend, whereas a guided missile submarine struck a 3rd website with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
“President Trump created the situations to finish the battle, decimating – select your phrase – obliterating, destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” Hegseth informed journalists on the Pentagon, referring to a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.
Trump has referred to as the strikes a “spectacular army success” and repeatedly stated they “obliterated” the nuclear sites.
On Thursday, he insisted that Iran didn’t handle to maneuver nuclear supplies – together with enriched uranium – forward of the US army motion.
“Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too lengthy, too harmful, and really heavy and onerous to maneuver!” Trump stated in a put up on his Reality Social platform.
This was echoed by Hegseth. “I am not conscious of any intelligence that I’ve reviewed that claims issues weren’t the place they have been presupposed to be, moved or in any other case,” he stated.
Nonetheless, 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 pretend 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 like this historic strike wasn’t profitable”, Hegseth stated.
Trump has additionally lashed out at protection of the intelligence report, calling for journalists to lose their jobs.
