Defense Secretary Hegseth Declares Iran's Nuclear Program "Obliterated" After Midnight Hammer Operation

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today lauded the pilots involved in "Operation Midnight Hammer," asserting that Iran's nuclear program has been "obliterated." Speaking from a podium, Secretary Hegseth praised the aircrews for their 36-hour mission into enemy territory, emphasizing the precision and courage required to neutralize the nuclear facilities. "If you want to make an assessment of what happened at Fordo, you better get a big shovel," Hegseth stated, referring to the site. He continued, "Iran's nuclear program is obliterated." The Secretary confirmed that the operation involved 12 30,000-pound bombs, which he said are now "buried under a mountain, devastated and obliterated." Hegseth also addressed a leaked preliminary report that suggested a "low assessment" of the operation's impact. He criticized the leak, stating, "Somebody, somewhere's trying to leak something to say, 'Oh, with low confidence, we think maybe it's moderate.'" He countered this by affirming that those who dropped the bombs "precisely in the right place, know exactly what happened when that exploded."