New Delhi, June 22 -- US defence secretary Pete Hegseth and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff air force general Dan Caine on Sunday said the three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan had been severely damaged and facing extreme destruction citing initial battle damage assessment reports and that the final battle damage assessment was in progress.

"We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme," said Hegseth. "It is worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or Iranian people."

Hegseth maintained that the operation, named 'Midnight Hammer', was not for regime change in Iran and was focused on destroying the west Asian nation's nuclear capabilities. "This mission was not, has not been for regime change. Th...