US Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites a “Devastating Success”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has hailed recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities as an “incredible and overwhelming success,” claiming they have significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing Sunday, Hegseth described the overnight operation as a series of “precision strikes” ordered by President Donald Trump. He said that the mission targeted nuclear infrastructure only and avoided Iranian military personnel or civilian casualties.

“Last night, on President Trump’s orders, U.S. Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran,” Hegseth said. “It was an incredible and overwhelming success. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program.”

The operation struck key sites at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, locations confirmed by Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI). Despite the claims of severe damage, both Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog have reported no signs of radioactive contamination at the targeted locations. The Iranian Red Crescent also indicated there were no casualties, suggesting the sites may have been evacuated ahead of the attack.

The strikes have drawn swift international reaction. In a joint statement, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany called on Iran to refrain from any further actions that could destabilise the region.

“We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the statement read. “We urge Iran to return to negotiations that address all concerns surrounding its nuclear program.”

Iran, however, has signaled defiance. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the United States “must receive a response,” and that Iran would defend itself “by all necessary means.” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei denounced the operation as an “unconscionable act of aggression — perpetrated by a nuclear-armed state against a non-nuclear weapon country.”