Minister Pete Hegseth of the Ministry of National Defense briefs the press. /Courtesy of AP 연합뉴스

On the 22nd (local time), Pete Hegseth, Minister of National Defense, emphasized that "President Trump is pursuing peace, and Iran should follow that path."

Minister Hegseth conveyed President Trump's statement during a national briefing the day before, stating that "if Iran retaliates, it will face a much stronger force than what was seen today."

Minister Hegseth stressed that "this attack is not aimed at regime change," adding that "the United States does not seek war. Various channels for dialogue with Iran are already open."

He also mentioned that a bunker buster was used in combat for the first time during this operation. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Cain stated in a briefing that "seven B-2 bombers were deployed in the operation and dropped 14 bunker busters, while Iran was unable to respond."

The targets of the U.S. strike were three key sites of Iran's nuclear development: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The attack was executed on the afternoon of the 21st (Eastern Time) upon the orders of President Donald Trump.

President Trump stated in a speech delivered at the White House on the same day that "this military operation was a dramatic success, and Iran's major uranium enrichment facilities have been completely eliminated." He revealed that the operation's objective was "to destroy Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities and to thwart the nuclear threat posed by the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism."