Pentagon says US operation against Iran nuclear sites was ‘overwhelming success'
The Middle East has been plunged deeper into crisis after the United States launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which US President Donald Trump said 'completely and fully obliterated' three key sites, marking a major escalation in the Israel-Iran air war.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the operation 'was an incredible and overwhelming success'.
'It was powerful, and it was clear we devastated the Iranian nuclear program, but it's worth noting the operation, did not target Iranian troops so the Iranian people.'
Direct US involvement in the conflict followed days of anticipation that Trump might approve military action targeting Iran's nuclear programme - and after stating he would decide 'within two weeks' whether to strike.
Israel and Iran have exchanged wave after wave of devastating and deadly strikes since Israel launched its aerial campaign on June 13, saying Tehran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is for peaceful purposes only.
Follow live updates as the world reacts to this critical development in the Middle East.
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