An angry Pete Hegseth claims « resounding success » in Iran and blames the media

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth defended the "resounding success" of US strikes in Iran, already claimed by Donald Trump, during a press conference at the Pentagon. He also blasted the media for questioning him on the basis of a preliminary US intelligence report.

"There's been a lot of discussion about what happened and what didn't happen. Step back for a second. Because of decisive military action, President Trump created the conditions to end the war decimating - choose your word - obliterating, destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities," said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine.

American media, including CNN, the New York Times and BAC News, had revealed that the air strikes carried out last weekend by the USA on three Iranian nuclear sites had not completely destroyed the key infrastructure of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. The nuclear project would only be delayed by a few months, according to the American media.

This contrasts with President Donald Trump's triumphant declarations after the attacks.

"In hunting for scandals all the time, in trying to find wedges and spin stories, this press corps and the press corps miss historic moments," Pete Hegseth lamented, directly blaming the array of journalists in front of him.

"Ultimately, we’re here to clarify what these weapons are capable of, which anyone with … two eyes, some ears and a brain can recognize that kind of firepower with that specificity at that location and others, is going to have a devastating effect," added the Secretary of Defense, without however providing any new concrete evidence of the effectiveness of the American strikes.

CNN, which was the first media outlet to break the news, reported that this first US intelligence assessment was produced by the Pentagon's intelligence agency (DIA). It is based on a damage analysis carried out by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) after the strikes, according to one of CNN's sources.

Hegseth reminded reporters that the DIA report was a "preliminary and low confidence" assessment drawn up only a day-and-a-half after the attacks. "[The report] admits itself in writing that it takes weeks to accumulate the necessary data to make such an assessment," he added.

Two of the people involved in the assessment told CNN that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium had not been destroyed. One said the centrifuges were largely "intact". Another source added that, according to available information, the enriched uranium had been removed from the sites before the US strikes.

"We can’t fully assess, and no one can say exactly what the extent of the damage is. But we already know that, given the power of those weapons and the technical characteristics of a centrifuge, we know that these centrifuges are no longer operational. These are machines with delicate positioning—there are rotors, there are parts—so the damage must have been total," said Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

For his part, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement on Wednesday: "CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran’s Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes. This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years."

"I hope, with all the ink spilled, all of your outlets find the time to properly recognize this historic change in continental security that other presidents tried to do, other presidents talked about," Hegseth said, before adding: "President Trump accomplished it. It’s a huge deal."