Washington: On Sunday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the United States does not desire conflict with Iran following a surprise military operation targeting three of the nation's nuclear facilities. Vice President JD Vance remarked that these strikes might open new avenues for negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

The operation, dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' utilized tactics of deception and encountered no resistance from Iranian forces, according to Hegseth and Air Force General Dan Caine during a Pentagon briefing.

Hegseth clarified, "This mission was not aimed at regime change."

General Caine confirmed that the objective of neutralizing nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan was successfully accomplished.

"While it will take time to assess the full extent of the damage, initial reports indicate that all three locations suffered significant destruction," Caine stated.

In a television interview, Vance expressed confidence that the operation has considerably delayed Iran's nuclear weapon development, although he refrained from discussing sensitive intelligence.

He further stated on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that the US has effectively pushed back Iran's nuclear ambitions for many years.

Vance noted that the US had engaged in extensive negotiations with Iran, but former President Trump concluded that Iran was not negotiating in good faith.

"This situation could provide a chance to reset our relationship and negotiations, allowing Iran to choose a path of peace rather than one of aggression," Vance added.

He warned that Iran's continued support for terrorism and nuclear ambitions is unacceptable to the US.

The global community is now grappling with the implications of these strikes, which could escalate tensions in the Middle East, especially following Israel's airstrikes targeting Iranian facilities.

While US officials have called for restraint, Iran condemned the attacks as violations of its sovereignty and international law.

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that the US would bear full responsibility for any Iranian response, labeling the strikes as crossing a significant red line.

Both Russia and China have denounced the US actions, with Araghchi planning to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement cautioned about the potential for the conflict to escalate globally.

The Pentagon did not reveal new information regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities. Hegseth mentioned that the timeline for these actions was influenced by a schedule set by Trump for negotiations with Iran.

"Iran learned that when Trump speaks of seeking peace within 60 days, he means it," Hegseth remarked.

However, the White House had indicated that Trump might take up to two weeks to decide on further military action or negotiations. The US was able to conduct the strikes without Iranian resistance due to weakened air defenses.

"Iranian fighters did not engage, and their missile systems failed to detect our operations during the mission," Caine noted.

Hegseth explained that the deployment of B-2 bombers from Missouri was part of a strategy to mislead Iranian forces, alongside other deceptive tactics, including fighter escorts for the bombers that dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on the Fordo site.

The strikes took place on Saturday evening in Washington, corresponding to early Sunday morning in Iran.