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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine avoided giving clear answers on Tuesday to questions from senators of both parties regarding U.S. military capability to destroy Iran's underground nuclear facilities, and were questioned about the motivations behind the military campaign after President Donald Trump threatened to attack the so-called Fordow Mountain shortly.
During the hearing, convened for the Pentagon to request more funds for the war against Iran, Republican Senator John Kennedy asked Hegseth if the United States has the capability to destroy whatever is located under Fordow Mountain.
"Many of our capabilities are classified, Senator," Hegseth replied, before asserting that "if anyone in the world can reach something on the face of the Earth, it is the United States armed forces."
Kennedy's question came hours after Trump threatened to attack Fordow Mountain "very soon and with great force," an underground complex that, according to U.S. authorities, is linked to the Iranian nuclear program.
The facility is excavated inside a mountainous area, which complicates its destruction through conventional attacks and has fueled doubts regarding the necessary capabilities to reach its underground structures.
Defense officials also did not offer details regarding the possibility of the United States resorting to ground operations in Iran.
Hegseth and Caine defended the Trump administration's military strategy but remained cautious when questioned about the next steps of the campaign and the conditions that could lead to a possible deployment of U.S. troops on the ground. Questions on consistency in military action
New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also questioned Hegseth about the justification for the war and his previous statements regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
"The words you've used in the past don't add up," said Gillibrand, who recalled that Hegseth claimed the U.S. had "annihilated" Iran's capability to manufacture nuclear weapons, while eight months later, in April 2026, Trump initiated a war claiming that Tehran was two weeks away from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Hegseth replied that the nuclear sites attacked during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 "were destroyed," but maintained that the Iranians "recklessly continued to try to develop nuclear capabilities."
The appearance took place while the Pentagon is requesting nearly 70 billion dollars in additional funds to finance operations and replenish its weapon reserves, and Hegseth estimated the cost of the war against Iran during the hearing at 37.5 billion dollars.
Caine also recalled in his opening remarks the deaths of three U.S. service members in the Middle East, Tyler Feehan, Michael Swinton, and Isabella Gonzales, and asked the Senate and the American people not to forget the fallen soldiers and their families.
The United States and Iran have been engaged in two weeks of reciprocal attacks in the Middle East, which has meant a breach of the ceasefire they signed on June 18 to allow for negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.
[Publicidad]