At a Pentagon press conference, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that U.S. intelligence had early warning of a potential Iranian attack on U.S. bases in the region and took immediate steps to evacuate personnel. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized early media reports about the aftermath of recent U.S. strikes on Iran, stating that the preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment lacked coordination with the broader intelligence community and had low confidence due to gaps and assumptions. He emphasized that the report was leaked by someone with an agenda to downplay the success of the operation.

Hegseth argued that more credible sources, including the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission, the head of the UN atomic agency Rafael Grossi, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, reported massive and lasting damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to these sources, the U.S. strike significantly set back Iran’s nuclear capabilities, with facilities rendered inoperable and requiring years to rebuild. Hegseth stressed that newer intelligence confirms key targets were destroyed and contradicted the preliminary assessment’s uncertain findings. He called out mainstream media outlets like CNN and The New York Times for overlooking these important confirmations from international and intelligence communities, suggesting a deliberate effort to undermine the credibility and success of the military operation.