Trump-Iran latest: US Secretary of Defense rages at coverage of bombing after ayatollah threatens further attacks – UK Times

US Secretary of Defense says ‘anyone with two eyes’ could recognise the bombs would have had a devasating effect.

Railing again against the media, Pete Hegseth said: “Ultimately, we’re here to clarify what these weapons are capable of, which anyone with, you know, two ear, two eyes, some ears and a brain can recognise that kind of firepower with that specificity at that location and others, is going to have a devastating effect.”

US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Dan Caine said the bunker-buster bombs “went exactly where they were intended to go”.

“Unlike a normal surface bomb, you won’t see an impact crater, because they’re designed to deeply bury and then function. I know there’s been a lot of questions about that all six weapons at each vent at Fordow went exactly where they were intended to go,” he said.

US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Dan Caine says two officers had spent 15 years working to gather intelligence on Iran’s nuclear facilities, in the defence threat reduction agency (DTRA).

Gen Caine said the pair spent years watching Iran build the facilities, watching all the equipment going in, and working out what they were for. They also helped develop the bunker busting bombs used by the US on the weekend to destroy the facilities, including one at Fordow.

“Yesterday, I had the incredible honour and privilege of spending time with these two Defence Threat Reduction Agency officers who’ve given so much,” he said. “Operation midnight Hammer was the culmination of those 15 years of incredible work.”

Following up Pete Hegseth’s rant against the media’s reporting on a leaked preliminary intelligence report about the damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, Donald Trump has weighed in again too.

“Rumor is that the Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN will be firing the reporters who made up the FAKE stories on the Iran Nuclear sites because they got it so wrong. Lets see what happens?” he said on Truth Social.

US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general Dan Caine is now delivering a briefing, explaining how the military protected personnel who were on the Al Udeid air base in Qatar before it was bombed by Iran.

“On Monday morning, we began to receive indications and warnings that Iran intended to attack US bases in the region that morning,” he said.

“Most folks had moved off the base to extend the security perimeter out away from what we assessed might be a target zone, except for a very few Army soldiers.”

Gen Caine said roughly 44 troops remained on the base to defend it.

Pete Hegseth has continued to attack the media for reporting on a leaked preliminary intelligence report on the potential damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“Let me read the bottom line here. President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history, and it was a resounding success, resulting in a cease fire agreement and the end of the 12 day war,” he said.

“Because of decisive military action, President Trump created the conditions to end the war. Decimating. Choose your word, obliterating, destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”

He continued: “Every outlet has breathlessly reported on a preliminary assessment from DIA I’m looking at it right now. Again, it was preliminary a day and a half after the actual strike, when it admits itself in writing that it requires weeks to accumulate the necessary data to make such an assessment.

“There’s low confidence in this particular report. There’s it says in the report, there are gaps in the information.”

“What President Trump accomplished in NATO yesterday was game changing and historic, a shift in burden sharing to … European responsibility in NATO that most would have said was impossible at the beginning of his term, but he said, NATO needs to pay up,” he said.

“So I hope, with all the ink spilled all of your outlets, [you] find the time to properly recognise this historic change in continental security.”

US Defence secretary Pete Hegseth is addressing the media.

Russia wants Iran to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Iran’s parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, after Israel and the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear sites with the aim of preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies any intention of building a nuclear bomb. Russia, which has a strategic partnership with Iran, has condemned the Israeli and US strikes and says Tehran has the right to a peaceful nuclear energy programme.