At a Pentagon press conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine addressed recent tensions with Iran, revealing credible intelligence that Iran intended to target U.S. bases. In response, the U.S. swiftly evacuated personnel from at-risk locations. Secretary Hegseth criticized media coverage of an early Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, arguing it was uncoordinated with the broader intelligence community and based on unstable assumptions. He suggested the report was leaked to undermine the U.S. military’s achievements. To counter negative narratives, Hegseth pointed to assessments by international authorities like the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission and UN atomic energy chief Rafael Grossi, who confirmed that the strikes severely damaged Iran’s Fordow nuclear site and disrupted its nuclear capabilities.

Hegseth further cited acknowledgments from top officials, including the Israeli Defense Forces’ Chief of Staff and Iran’s foreign minister, stating the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions by years. CIA Director John Ratcliffe supported these claims with intelligence confirming the damage. Former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and nuclear expert David Albright also validated the destruction of Iran’s centrifuge operations. Hegseth emphasized the strategic success of the strikes, calling them “historic,” and accused the media of downplaying their impact due to political bias against former President Trump. He concluded by challenging the media’s credibility, arguing that ideological opposition to Trump skewed national security reporting, before handing the podium to General Caine.