US clueless about Iran's response to strikes on nuclear program: CBS
4 Min Read
While Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth hails US strikes on Iran's major nuclear facilities, Washington anxiously awaits Tehran's retaliation.
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appears during a news conference at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia (Photo by Andrew Harnik / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
The strikes ordered by US President Donald Trump overnight had "devastated" Iran's nuclear program, claimed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, urging Iranian leaders to seek peace to avoid further attacks.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Hegseth emphasized that the mission "did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people," but was rather a strategic response to what Washington views as mounting threats.
Trump "seeks peace, and Iran should take that path," he said, adding that "this mission was not, and has not, been about regime change."
"The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program and the collective self-defense of our troops and our ally Israel."
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities stated early Sunday that the attacks caused no radiation leaks or risk to surrounding populations and confirmed that the structural integrity of the targeted sites remains intact.
Read more: Future attacks on Iran could be 'far greater': Trump
B-2 bombers and Tomahawks target Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan
In a related context, two senior Pentagon officials told CBS News that three American B-2 bombers struck Iran’s Fordow facility early Sunday morning.
Each aircraft was reportedly equipped with two bunker-buster bombs specifically designed to destroy fortified underground sites.
Simultaneously, Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from submarines targeting nuclear-linked sites in Natanz and Isfahan, both central to Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities.
US allies not fully briefed before strike on Iran
Despite the regional implications, diplomatic sources told CBS that not all American allies in the Middle East, particularly those hosting US military forces, were informed of the planned operation in advance. Some received notification only after the bombers were already en route.
Iran warns of harsh retaliation
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an explosive and unyielding statement on Sunday, vowing relentless retaliation in response to the US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory.
“The flight paths of the aircraft involved in the aggression have been identified and are currently under surveillance,” the statement read, signaling that Iran is closely tracking potential targets for future strikes.
In a tone brimming with defiance, the IRGC declared that “US military bases in the region are not a strength, but rather a point of vulnerability,” casting Washington’s regional footprint as an exposed liability.
The IRGC confirmed that its retaliatory operations would continue with “unparalleled precision and overwhelming power,” explicitly targeting key infrastructure and strategic sites belonging to the Israeli entity. The statement left no room for doubt: “The invaders must now brace for responses that will make them regret their actions.”
Reaffirming Iran’s resilience in the face of foreign pressure, the IRGC dismissed speculation about damage to the country’s nuclear program. “We strongly affirm that Iran’s peaceful nuclear technology cannot be destroyed by any attack,” it stated.
Lashing out at Western leadership, the IRGC blasted US and Israeli officials as morally bankrupt and politically unhinged, declaring: “We are not frightened by Trump’s noise, nor by the criminal gangs that control the White House and Tel Aviv.”
In a thunderous conclusion, the IRGC proclaimed that “America no longer holds the initiative and cannot escape the repercussions of a forceful Iranian response,” signaling a dramatic escalation in rhetoric and resolve. In short, the message made it clear that Tehran views this moment as a pivotal turning point in the balance of power and is fully prepared to confront its adversaries head-on.
Read more: US strike on Iran sparks international alarm, global condemnations
US anticipating Iranian response
A US intelligence official speaking to CBS News admitted uncertainty about what might follow. “We’re in uncharted territory,” the official said. “We don’t know how Iran will react to this because this is the highest rate of tension and conflict we've had in recent history.”
