Hegseth Defends Iran Strikes, Media Criticized

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended Operation Midnight Hammer, describing the airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as a historic success that resulted in a ceasefire and ended a 12-day conflict. Hegseth criticized CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times for their coverage of a leaked, preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency report, which suggested the strikes failed to eliminate core aspects of Iran’s nuclear program and that uranium stockpiles had been moved prior to the attack. He accused the media of anti-Trump bias and attempting to undermine the operation. Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon and FBI are investigating the leak of the low-confidence, uncoordinated intelligence assessment. Restrictions on Pentagon press access and Hegseth's confrontational stance toward journalists have drawn criticism. Debate continues over the actual impact of the strikes, with contrasting views from the leaked report and independent analysts.