6 hours ago
Last Updated:June 23, 2025, 18:45 IST
White House says US strikes degraded Iran’s nuclear capability.
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stands by him aboard Air Force One. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)
US President Donald Trump is the first leader “with the guts" to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, defending Washington’s recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In an interview with ABC News, Leavitt described Iran as an “imminent threat" and claimed that the US military action under Trump had significantly degraded Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
“Donald Trump is the first president with the guts to actually do something about it," Leavitt said, referring to the US President’s decision to order Operation Midnight Hammer, a wave of strikes targeting suspected nuclear infrastructure in Iran. “The strikes took away Iran’s ability to create a nuclear bomb."
Leavitt’s remarks come amid growing global concern over the spiraling tensions in West Asia following the Iran-Israel confrontation and the wider regional fallout, including American military involvement. While Iran has acknowledged damage to some facilities, it maintains that its nuclear knowledge cannot be erased.
Donald Trump insisted Sunday that US strikes had destroyed Iranian nuclear sites, after other officials cautioned that the extent of damage was still unclear.
“Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" Trump wrote on social media, without sharing the images he was referencing.
“The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!" he added.
He also hinted at interest in regime change in Iran, despite several of his administration officials earlier stressing that US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites did not have that goal.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
The attack targeted Isfahan, Natanz and the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, with Iran’s media reporting that all three sites had been hit.
US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs — a powerful 13,600-kilogram (30,000-pound) weapon.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme", but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people".
Vice President JD Vance said the US air strikes had “set the Iranian nuclear programme back substantially".
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...
Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world ‘Trump First President With Guts To...’: White House Says Strikes Crippled Iran's Nuke Plans
