Top U.S. officials held a crucial news conference at the Pentagon on Sunday following the successful strike on Iran’s key nuclear facilities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine briefed the press, outlining the precise and decisive operation that sent a clear message to the Iranian regime-- that the United States will not tolerate Iran’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Hegseth praised President Donald Trump’s “bold and brilliant” leadership, highlighting the decisive strike that destroyed Iran’s three nuclear facilities. The operation involved deploying five to six bunker-buster bombs on the Fordow site and launching thirty Tomahawk missiles from U.S. submarines targeting Natanz and Isfahan, effectively leaving Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities completely obliterated.
"For the entirety of his time in office. President Trump has consistently stated for over 10 years that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon," Hegseth said. "Thanks to President Trump’s bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.”
Hegseth emphasized that President Trump's clear and powerful order led to the devastating destruction of Iran’s nuclear program, while deliberately avoiding targeting Iranian troops or civilians. He credited Trump’s bold leadership and commitment to “peace through strength” for successfully eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat. He also reiterated that the mission was not about regime change.
.@SecDef: "As President Trump has stated, the United States does not seek war, but let me be clear: we will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners, or our interests are threatened." pic.twitter.com/lDyKYpCaYV
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2025
The Secretary of Defense noted that many presidents had hoped to deliver a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear program but never succeeded. Hegseth commended Trump for “demonstrating to the world that American deterrence is back.” He also reiterated that President Trump was fully committed to a peaceful, negotiated solution with Iran and gave them multiple chances to end their nuclear program, but was ultimately met with resistance and refusal to cooperate.
🚨 SEC. HEGSETH: "Pres. Trump was FULLY committed to the peace process, wanted a negotiated outcome, gave Iran every single opportunity, and unfortunately was met by stonewalling.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 22, 2025
There was certainly a moment in time where he realized that there had to be a certain action taken… pic.twitter.com/L3LMgCV0FX
During the press conference, Cain confirmed that Operation Midnight Hammer was "the largest B2 operational strike in U.S. history and the second longest B2 mission ever flown, only exceeded by those flown in the days after 9/11."
Cain outlined the events that led up to the attack on Iran's nuclear program, which involved more than 125 aircraft and a deception operation that saw bombers deployed over the Pacific as a “decoy." He said pulling the operation off took months of positioning and preparation.
According to Caine, the massive and unprecedented operation deployed seven stealth B-2 bombers, which dropped over a dozen 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs on Iran’s Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites. Simultaneously, Tomahawk missiles were fired at the Isfahan facility. More than 125 aircraft participated in the mission, including B-2s, refueling tankers, reconnaissance aircraft, and fighter jets. The coordinated strikes on all three locations began at 6:40 p.m. ET, and the bombers exited Iranian airspace by 7:00 p.m. ET. Caine noted the bombers flew from a base in Missouri, making this the longest B-2 mission since the days following the 9/11 attacks.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Dan "Razin" Caine details the masterful logistics planned for the secret OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER, including decoy bombers flying West and submarines launching more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles. pic.twitter.com/46iCTLs2c7
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 22, 2025
“At midnight Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States,” Caine added. “As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy — a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa."