Pentagon chief Hegseth says Iranian troops and civilians weren’t targeted

The US does not want Operation Midnight Hammer to turn into a prolonged conflict with Iran, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Mr Hegseth said the US had “devastated” Iran’s nuclear programme but stressed Saturday’s attack was calibrated to try to avoid a broader war. It’s worth noting that this operation did not target the Iranian people or Iranian troops,” he said. In his first Pentagon news conference since taking office six months ago, Mr Hegseth said President Donald Trump ordered officials to come up with a mission focused on avoiding larger military involvement.