Following a series of unprecedented and devastating U.S. strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities, President Donald Trump has injected a new layer of uncertainty into the volatile Middle East, suggesting that Iran could reject its current government leadership despite his administration’s official stance against regime change.
“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???” Trump posted on social media. “MIGA!!!”
This statement comes just hours after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explicitly stated in a Sunday morning news conference that regime change was “not part of the mission” in the aerial bombardment of three Iranian nuclear sites.
READ: Kentucky Rep. Massie Says House Speaker ‘Misinterpreted’ Trump’s Power To Bomb Iran
“Operation Midnight Hammer” Decimates Nuclear Sites
The President’s comments followed the revelation of “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a meticulously planned and executed clandestine operation that crippled key Iranian nuclear sites. In a Pentagon briefing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, alongside Secretary Hegseth, unveiled details of the Saturday night strikes that targeted Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, inflicting “extremely severe damage.”
The operation involved seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers departing from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, undertaking an arduous 18-hour flight with multiple mid-air refuelings – marking the second-longest B-2 operation in U.S. history. Precision strikes included the deployment of 14 GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs on the deeply fortified Fordow and Natanz facilities.
READ: Secretary Of State Marco Rubio Fires Back At CBS Host Over Her Claim About Nuke Program
Simultaneously, Tomahawk missiles, launched from U.S. ships and submarines south of Iran, pounded the Isfahan nuclear site.
General Caine lauded the mission as a “complex and high-risk” undertaking, commending the “exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force.” Defense Secretary Hegseth reiterated that the strikes were not an attempt to draw the U.S. into a protracted war or to seek regime change, emphasizing that U.S. forces remain prepared for any retaliatory attacks.
Iran Vows Response, Regional Tensions Mount
Iran declared Sunday that the U.S. “decided to destroy diplomacy” and warned that the Iranian military would decide the “timing, nature, and scale” of its response.
The heightened tensions have already led to significant precautionary measures. The State Department has doubled the number of emergency evacuation flights for American citizens wishing to leave Israel and ordered the departure of nonessential staff from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, stepping up travel warnings across the Middle East.
READ: Russia Warns Of Nuclear Arming For Iran After U.S. Strikes
As the B-2 bombers return to base, the global community holds its breath, awaiting Iran’s next move. The repercussions of “Operation Midnight Hammer” and President Trump’s subsequent remarks are expected to resonate far beyond the immediate region, shaping the future of the volatile Middle East.
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