US strikes against Iran not aimed at regime change, Pentagon chief says
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran against following through with past threats of retaliation against the US. PHOTO: AFP
US strikes against Iran not aimed at regime change, Pentagon chief says
Follow our live coverage here.
WASHINGTON - The US military's strikes on Iran's nuclear sites were not a preamble to plans for regime change, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on June 22, adding that private messages had been sent to Tehran encouraging them to negotiate.
Still, Mr Hegseth warned Iran against following through with past threats of retaliation against the United States, and said US forces were postured to defend themselves, and take action if needed.
"This mission was not and has not been about regime change," Mr Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. "The president authorised a precision operation to neutralise the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear programme."
The US strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top US general, General Dan Caine, said was named "Operation Midnight."
Gen Caine said initial battle damage assessments indicated that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction, but he declined to speculate whether any Iranian nuclear capabilities might still be intact.
The operation pushes the Middle East to the brink of a major new conflagration in a region already aflame for more than 20 months with wars in Gaza and Lebanon and a toppled dictator in Syria.
Tehran has vowed to defend itself, and responded with a volley of missiles at Israel that wounded scores of people and destroyed buildings in its commercial hub Tel Aviv.
But, perhaps in an effort to avert all-out war with the superpower, it had yet to carry out its main threats of retaliation - to target US bases or choke off the quarter of the world's oil shipments that pass through its waters.
The Iranian Parliament approved closing the Hormuz strait, a potential choke point for oil shipments, but the country's top security body is required to make a final decision, Iran's press TV reported.
Gen Caine said the US military had increased protection of troops in the region, including in Iraq and Syria.
"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," Gen Caine said. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
27 minutes ago
- Straits Times
US strikes Iran: What Trump needs to do to avoid embroilment in a wider regional war
The Fordow uranium enrichment plant near Qom, Iran, after US strikes on June 22. PHOTO: REUTERS Follow our live coverage here. – The US strikes on Iran's nuclear installations had devastated its nuclear programmes, but the mission, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, did not target Iranian troops or the country's people, said US Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
27 minutes ago
- Straits Times
UN Security Council to meet on Iran as Russia, China push for a ceasefire
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council will meet Sunday to discuss U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East. It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. The three countries circulated the draft text, said diplomats, and asked members to share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass. The U.S. is likely to oppose the draft resolution, seen by Reuters, which also condemns attacks on Iran's nuclear sites and facilities. The text does not name the United States or Israel. The world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had "obliterated" Tehran's key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. Iran requested the U.N. Security Council meeting, calling on the 15-member body "to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms." Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the U.S. and Israel "do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday branded the U.S. strikes on Iran as a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security." "At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace," Guterres said in a statement. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
40 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Hague NATO summit protest shifts focus to Iran
Demonstrators hold signs against a war in Iran, during a march against the upcoming NATO leaders' summit, at The Hague, Netherlands, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw A demonstrator reacts, during a march against the upcoming NATO leaders' summit, at The Hague, Netherlands June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw Demonstrator take part in a march against the upcoming NATO leaders' summit, near the Peace Palace, in The Hague, Netherlands June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw People take part in a march against the upcoming NATO leaders' summit, at The Hague, Netherlands, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw Demonstrators hold 'ROOD Socialistische Jongeren' (RED socialist youth) flags during a march against the upcoming NATO leaders' summit, at The Hague, Netherlands, June 22, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw THE HAGUE - An anti-NATO protest in The Hague on Sunday shifted its focus to Iran after overnight U.S. strikes hit key nuclear sites there. The peaceful demonstration took place days before The Hague hosts a NATO summit. The planned protest against NATO's military policies pivoted to condemnation of the U.S. attacks on Iran, with participants voicing concern about rising tensions in the Middle East. Thousands marched toward the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice, a Reuters witness said. Organizers estimated the crowd at 5,000, while police said they do not track attendance numbers. Protesters carried banners calling for de-escalation, diplomacy, and for NATO to be disbanded, with some saying "No Iran War" and "Hands off Iran". Iranian protester Nikita Shahbazi told Reuters it was "heartbreaking" to see what is going on in her home country. "I feel devastated. (The U.S. attacks) can trigger a wider war. It has opened the paths for illegal attacks on nuclear installations everywhere in the world." Protesters also opposed a proposed 5% defence spending target pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and backed by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who hopes to secure consensus at the summit, beginning on Wednesday. "There's no need for this provocation, this 5% of GDP spending on weapons, that will benefit the military-industrial complex. This has nothing to do with the needs of people," said British protester Pippa Bartolotti. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
