New Delhi, June 26 -- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday (June 26) defended the recent American strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, calling them "historically successful" and rejecting leaked intel that downplayed their impact. In a heated Pentagon briefing, he also criticised the media for focusing on scandal, leaks, and gender identity, insisting that Americans "don't care" about whether pilots are male or female.

Hegseth pushed back against leaked intelligence assessments that reportedly downplay the impact of the operation.

Speaking at a Pentagon news conference, Hegseth dismissed early analysis suggesting the strikes may have delayed Iran's nuclear progress by only a few months. "Destroyed, defeated, obliterated - choose yo...