Pentagon Declares Iranian Nuclear Program 'Devastated' After Massive US Airstrikes

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday confirmed that American strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities had “devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” in what is being described as one of the most complex and aggressive U.S. military operations in recent years.

Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth said the operation, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, was carried out under direct orders from President Donald Trump after months of meticulous planning. The strikes targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites.

"This was a decisive and devastating blow," Hegseth said. “While we do not seek war, the United States will act swiftly and decisively when our people, partners, or interests are threatened.”

A Coordinated, High-Stakes Mission

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined the details of the operation, which involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including seven B-2 stealth bombers, midair refueling tankers, surveillance aircraft, and fighter escorts.

The mission began just after midnight ET on Friday. B-2 bombers launched from the United States, with a portion heading west as a decoy while the main strike group flew eastward in radio silence over an 18-hour flight.

Follow Live Updates On Iran-Israel War

At around 5 p.m. ET Saturday, a US submarine fired more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at surface-level infrastructure at the Isfahan nuclear site. This was followed at 6:40 p.m. ET by a devastating air assault on Iran's most fortified nuclear sites.

The lead B-2 bomber dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators — 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs — on the Fordow underground facility. Subsequent bombers struck additional targets at Natanz and Isfahan. All strikes were completed by 7:05 p.m. ET, which corresponds to roughly 2:10 a.m. local time in Iran on Sunday.

No Iranian Military Response

General Caine confirmed that no Iranian air defenses engaged U.S. aircraft during the mission, and all American forces safely exited Iranian airspace without incident.

The strikes mark a significant escalation in the already tense standoff between Iran and Israel, with Washington now fully aligned with Tel Aviv in targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The Pentagon emphasized that the operation was preemptive and defensive in nature, citing intelligence assessments of an “imminent threat” posed by Iran’s uranium enrichment activities.

Strategic and Political Fallout

The attacks have sparked widespread international concern about the potential for further escalation in the Middle East. Though President Trump has expressed reluctance about deepening military entanglements, especially during recent remarks at the June 2025 G7 summit, this operation signals a major shift in U.S. posture toward Iran.

With diplomatic channels frozen and nuclear diplomacy stalled since the collapse of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Sunday’s strikes may mark a turning point — either toward renewed confrontation or a last-ditch effort to force Iran back to the negotiating table.