Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday that despite a surprise attack overnight on Iranian nuclear sites, America “does not seek war.”
Watch the Pentagon news briefing in the video player above.
Hegseth said it was important to note that U.S. strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people, a veiled effort to indicate to Iran that they don’t want retaliation on American targets in the region.
The United States attacked three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying the Iranian nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe that prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Tehran accused Washington of launching “a dangerous war.”
President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s key nuclear sites were “completely and fully obliterated” in an address to the nation from the White House.
WATCH: Trump addresses the nation after U.S. bombs 3 Iranian nuclear sites
The mission called “Operation Midnight Hammer” involved decoys, deception and was met with no Iranian resistance, according to the Sunday morning Pentagon news briefing by Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Israel has said the U.S. strikes were carried out in coordination with its military. The U.S. said the strikes did not involve Israeli jets.
The Pentagon released the map to journalists as it gave details of the mission, which it described as causing “extremely severe damage and destruction” to three Iranian nuclear sites.
A graphic shows the timeline of “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, released by the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., June 22, 2025. Image provided by U.S. Department of Defense/Handout via Reuters
As the U.S. and the region await Iran’s response to the overnight strikes, Hegseth said that military generals have elevated force protection measures across the region, especially in Iraq, Syria, and the Persian Gulf.
“Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice,” Caine told reporters.
READ MORE: What to know about the 3 Iranian nuclear sites that were hit by U.S. strikes
The Trump administration said that its attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities was not about toppling the country’s government.
“This mission was not and has not been about regime change,” Hegseth said.
Hours after Iran’s top diplomat disclosed that the line of communication between Washington and Tehran remains open, Hegseth echoed his remarks in Sunday’s press conference.
“I can only confirm that there are both public and private messages being directly delivered to the Iranians in multiple channels, giving them every opportunity to come to the table,” Hegseth said.
In concluding his briefing, the U.S. defense chief attempted to once again reiterate an unwillingness for America’s intervention in Iran to turn into a protracted war and labeled the overnight strikes as “intentionally limited.”
“I would just say, as the president has directed and made clear, this is most certainly not open-ended,” Hegseth said, adding that it doesn’t limit U.S. ability to respond and it will do so if necessary.
“The most powerful military in the world is postured and prepared to defend our people,” Hegseth said.
