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The U.S. is defending itself against media reports that suggest its recent strikes on Iran did minimal damage. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is also defending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against court charges against him.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is blasting media outlets for playing up an early leaked report that suggested the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities did only limited damage.
"In hunting for scandals all the time in trying to find wedges and spin stories, this press corps and the press corps, miss historic moments," Hegseth told reporters at an early morning press conference on Thursday.
"President Trump directed the most complex and secretive military operation in history, and it was a resounding success, resulting in a ceasefire agreement and the end of the 12-day war," Hegseth said, commending the president.
Last night, CIA director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released statements that intelligence indicates that the strikes did severe damage to the nuclear sites.
"CIA continues to collect additional reliably sourced information to keep appropriate decision makers fully informed," Hegseth emphasized. "Those that understand, those that see, those that do proper assessments, recognize that what the United States military did was historic."
President Trump cited Israeli intelligence reports claiming the strike set Iran’s nuclear program back by years. Speaking at the NATO Summit in the Netherlands Wednesday, he also challenged reports that Iran managed to remove enriched uranium from the Fordow facility, one of Iran’s key underground nuclear sites, before the U.S. attack.
“We've collected additional intelligence. We've also spoken to people that've seen the site, and the site is obliterated. And we think everything nuclear is down there. They didn't take it out,” Trump said.
Trump also announced that U.S. officials will meet with Iranian representatives next week, even though he no longer believes a nuclear agreement is necessary.
Special Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff said the U.S. is demanding that Iran abandon all efforts to enrich and weaponize uranium.
Witkoff also announced that the Abraham Accords will soon expand, with unexpected nations likely to join in the near future and make peace with Israel.
“We're hoping for normalization across an array of countries that maybe people would have never contemplated would have come in,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump turned his attention to Israel, slamming the legal proceedings against Netanyahu and calling the trial a “witch hunt.”
Posting on social media, Trump wrote that Netanyahu has fought harder than anyone to protect Israel, saying “he deserves much better than this, and so does the state of Israel. Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be cancelled immediately.”
CBN News spoke with Israelis in Be’er Sheva at the site of Tuesday’s missile strike.
Israel Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne emphasized the nation’s resilience.
“We're not a scared nation. And the second thing I wanted to tell you is to thank you for your support and all your viewers’ support,” he said.
Israeli Christian Arab Yoseph Haddad thanked Trump profusely for backing Israel and entering the war. Haddad also had a strong message for President Trump, “Finish the job. Eliminate the IRGC. Free Iran and bring security to the Israeli people, bring security and stability to the Middle East. … And you will bring security to the United States.”
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