U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a forceful warning to Iran during a Pentagon briefing, declaring that the Iranian regime will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. “The crazy Islamists in Tehran will never, ever have a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth said, defending President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize military operations against Iranian targets. He credited Operation Midnight Hammer, which involved B-2 bomber strikes on nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, with inflicting major damage on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Hegseth also pointed to Operation Epic Fury, saying American forces struck more than 13,000 targets during fewer than 40 days of sustained combat. According to his assessment, Iran’s navy had been sunk, its air force grounded and more than 80 percent of its nuclear industrial base destroyed. He described the operations as a major military achievement and argued that they had significantly weakened Tehran’s ability to pursue its strategic objectives.

Hegseth further stated that the United States maintained a naval blockade against Iran and asserted that American forces controlled the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for international energy shipments. He presented the military campaign as part of the administration’s broader effort to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and threatening American interests and regional security. The secretary also reaffirmed his support for the operations, saying he would carry them out again and warning that U.S. forces remained ready to respond if Tehran took further action. However, the figures describing the extent of the destruction were presented by Hegseth and have not been independently established in the briefing itself. The administration’s claims also come as the conflict remains unresolved and diplomatic discussions continue alongside economic and military pressure. Hegseth’s message was clear: Washington intends to maintain pressure on Tehran and insists that preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon remains a central objective of U.S. policy.