In a post Sunday on Truth Social, Trump said the operation “completely and totally destroyed” Iran’s nuclear-related targets and that recovering buried nuclear material “will require a long and difficult process.” He also criticized some media outlets, including CNN, saying they were downplaying the performance of U.S. pilots.
“Midnight Hammer” was the name of a U.S. operation last June that struck three Iranian nuclear sites. The U.S. military deployed more than 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 stealth bombers, and dropped 14 massive bunker-buster bombs targeting Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
The U.S. military said it combined deceptive flights and indirect approaches to hit the targets. Iran’s military was reported to have been largely unable to respond to the U.S. aircraft.
Assessments of the damage have differed. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used language suggesting near-total destruction, while Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said all three sites suffered “extremely severe damage and destruction” but stopped short of saying Iran’s nuclear capability had been eliminated.
Trump’s post came as it remains unclear whether follow-up talks between the United States and Iran will move forward. Trump has said a new nuclear deal with Iran would be better than the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, but it is still uncertain how any negotiations might be concluded in the near term.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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