Washington: The White House declared that the Middle East is witnessing the dawn of a “new era of peace and stability” following the success of Operation Midnight Hammer, a US-led military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Addressing reporters at a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the precision strikes carried out under President Donald Trump’s directive, stating they had “eliminated the immediate threat of a nuclear-armed Iranian regime.”
“The most powerful military on Earth executed surgical strikes on three of Iran’s core nuclear facilities,” Leavitt said. “This mission, Operation Midnight Hammer, neutralized the enrichment capabilities of the Iranian regime and averted a global security crisis.”
According to the administration, intelligence had indicated Iran was mere weeks away from achieving nuclear weapon capability. Leavitt underscored the urgency of the mission, contrasting the Trump administration’s action with the previous Democratic leadership’s diplomatic efforts. “While past administrations attempted to purchase compliance with flawed deals, President Trump sent American aircraft to protect the world,” she remarked.
Leavitt further asserted that there is growing international consensus that Iran’s nuclear program has been dismantled. “Despite politically motivated media leaks, the United States, Israel, the United Nations, and even Iran acknowledge that the regime can no longer develop a nuclear bomb,” she claimed.
Within 48 hours of the strikes, President Trump’s administration successfully negotiated a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, ending a 12-day war that began with Israel’s Operation Rising Lion on June 13. That operation targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, prompting Iran to retaliate with its Operation True Promise 3, launching drones and missiles at Israeli sites.
“The Middle East, once synonymous with turmoil, is now turning the page,” said Leavitt. “This is peace through strength—a vision becoming reality under President Trump’s leadership.”
The ceasefire, coupled with easing regional tensions and partial reopening of airspace, has given rise to cautious optimism among global observers, with some describing it as a potential turning point in West Asia’s geopolitical landscape.
