U.S. ‘does not seek war’ with Iran, says Defense Secretary; praises attack that ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday (June 22, 2025) that U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success that have obliterated Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The Pentagon chief also said that despite the strikes, the United States didn’t seek a war with Iran

The U.S. strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top U.S. general, General Dan Caine, said was named “Operation Midnight.”

U.S. strikes Iranian nuclear facilities updates on June 22, 2025

The operation pushes the West Asia to the brink of a major new conflagration in a region already aflame for more than 20 months with wars in Gaza and Lebanon and a toppled dictator in Syria.

“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” Mr. Hegseth told reporters in a briefing, adding that said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen,” Mr. Hegseth said.

U.S. used decoys, deception in Iran attack

Mr. Hegseth said that despite a surprise attack overnight on Iranian nuclear sites, America “does not seek war.” Mr. Hegseth said it was important to note that US strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people, a veiled effort to indicate to Iran that they don’t want retaliation on American targets in the region.

Mr. Hegseth said that a choice to move a number of B-2 bombers from their base in Missouri earlier Saturday was meant to be a decoy to throw off Iranians.

He added that the U.S. used other methods of deception as well, deploying fighters to protect the B-2 bombers that dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on Iran’s most powerful nuclear site.

He said that all of these tactics helped the U.S. drop the bombs without tipping off Iran’s fighter jets or its air missile systems.