Pete Hegseth, a prominent conservative commentator and former U.S. Army officer, asserted on Sunday that U.S. airstrikes against Iran have significantly debilitated their nuclear weapons program, dealing an irreparable blow against Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear bombs.
Hegseth described the strike as an historic success during a national broadcast interview and lauded U.S. forces for conducting “a textbook precision operation” against Iran’s key nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
Hegseth said what they had just witnessed was an incredible setback to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, noting how hard these targets had been hit – “these were not symbolic targets; these were core facilities for enrichment and weaponization capabilities that have been hit hard.
Launched late Friday night, the United States Air Campaign involved over 125 military aircraft that targeted underground centrifuge facilities, uranium conversion plants and research labs linked to Iran’s nuclear development. Satellite imagery reviewed by independent analysts revealed extensive structural damage at Natanz and Fordow which are widely believed to house high-grade enrichment programs.
Iran, however, has downplayed the impact of these strikes, with state media citing only “minor damage” and no radiation leakage; and Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization asserting that their nuclear program remains robust and operational. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledged revenge, calling the attack “cowardly aggression that must be met with strategic patience and response”.
Hegseth dismissed such claims, suggesting that Tehran’s public posture is meant to “save face,” while they assess losses privately.
“They may try to hide it, but the reality of what happened has become clear,” he explained. “Their top scientists and IRGC officers are in complete panic mode as their timelines have just been extended by years.”
Hegseth does not hold an official government position, yet his views often align closely with those of the hardline national security wing of the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump’s foreign policy stance. At a campaign rally this weekend, Trump publicly supported and warned Iran of any retaliatory action that might come their way by saying any response would be met with “force far greater”.
Hegseth’s statements have not been addressed directly by the Biden administration; however, U.S. defense officials confirmed that these strikes were “targeted measures to reduce proliferation risks”. According to them, this operation was driven by recent intelligence suggesting Iran was close to weaponizing enriched uranium for weaponization purposes.
Israel and several Gulf nations welcomed the U.S. move, saying it reaffirmed their commitment to regional security. By contrast, European Union members, China, and Russia strongly objected to these strikes and cautioned that further escalation could destabilize the region and derail nuclear talks altogether.
Now that tensions have reached their boiling point, observers are closely following Iran’s next move. Military retaliation or strategic restraint could determine not only Iran’s nuclear ambitions but also their place within Middle Eastern security structures.