Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites and why the Iranian regime underestimated President Trump
In a dramatic and unprecedented military operation, President Donald Trump ordered a large-scale overnight airstrike on three major Iranian nuclear facilities, marking a significant escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions. The Pentagon confirmed that “Operation Midnight Hammer” targeted nuclear infrastructure in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, aiming to cripple Iran’s nuclear capabilities in what military officials hailed as an overwhelming success.
Flanked by top military leaders, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Eric Carrilla, the Pentagon briefed reporters Sunday morning on the details of the strike, calling it one of the most sophisticated and far-reaching operations in U.S. military history.
“This was a bold and brilliant plan,” Hegseth said. “We devastated Iran’s nuclear infrastructure while avoiding civilian and military casualties. This was not a strike on the Iranian people, but a clear message: Iran must never possess nuclear weapons.”
READ MORE : U.S. Strikes Iran’s Nuclear Sites: Secretary Pete Hegseth Hail ‘Overwhelming Success’
According to General Carrilla, the operation involved more than 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that launched from the continental United States. The mission, which lasted nearly 18 hours, required multiple in-flight refuelings and coordination across five U.S. combatant commands.
The strike package included fourth- and fifth-generation fighter escorts, suppression aircraft, refueling tankers, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) support, and a U.S. submarine that launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles into key facilities at Esfahan. The operation also marked the first-ever use of the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), designed to destroy heavily fortified underground bunkers.
Between 6:40 and 7:05 p.m. EST Saturday night (2:10–2:35 a.m. local Iranian time), U.S. bombers released a total of 14 MOPs across three target areas. Pentagon officials stated that initial battle damage assessments indicate severe destruction of all three facilities, particularly at Fordow, which was described as the “primary target.”
Notably, officials said there were no shots fired at U.S. aircraft during the mission. Iranian surface-to-air missile systems reportedly failed to detect the U.S. aircraft, and no Iranian fighter jets took to the air.
President Trump released a statement on Truth Social shortly after the strikes, warning Iran: “Any retaliation by Iran will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.”
Officials stressed that the United States does not seek regime change in Iran and emphasized that the mission was “limited in scope” and focused solely on nuclear infrastructure. “This was a precision operation to neutralize a clear threat to the American people and our allies, especially Israel,” Hegseth said.
Asked about the intelligence behind the strike—particularly in light of a March intelligence report stating Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons—Hegseth responded that the president had “looked at all the information and made a judgment call.”
“We’re not going to get into sources and methods,” he said. “But this president has said for decades: Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. And now, they don’t.”
While congressional leaders were not briefed prior to the operation, the Pentagon confirmed that notification occurred immediately after the aircraft safely exited Iranian airspace, in accordance with the War Powers Act.
General Carrilla acknowledged that force protection measures have been elevated across U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf in anticipation of possible retaliation from Iran or its regional proxies. However, no specific details were shared about the defensive preparations in place.
The Pentagon also confirmed that while the U.S. coordinated closely with Israel on regional defense matters, the strike itself was exclusively American-led. Israeli efforts against Iran’s missile systems over the past week, however, were described as “preparatory” in degrading Iran’s broader capabilities.
When asked whether the strike risks pulling the U.S. into another prolonged Middle East conflict, Hegseth was unequivocal: “This is not an open-ended war. This is a mission with a clear objective. Iran now faces a choice—negotiate or face consequences.”
He concluded the briefing with praise for the troops: “The world should take note—when this president speaks, the United States military can and will back it up.”
The world now watches closely to see how Iran responds—and whether this dramatic escalation marks the beginning of a new phase in U.S.–Iran relations, or a turning point that leads back to the negotiating table.
