Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, said on Wednesday, in a speech to military personnel at the Marine Corps base in Quantico in Virginia, that American forces have “destroyed” much of Iran’s military capability and struck the Islamic Republic’s nuclear targets.

Hegseth said: “Americans and their allies have destroyed Iran’s naval forces, Iran’s air force, the defense system, leadership, the capacity of its military industries, and all areas of their defense.”

Hegseth added: “The Islamic Republic’s conventional shield has been paralyzed, and their nuclear targets have also been paralyzed and exposed to the world. American military forces ensure that Iran will never obtain nuclear weapons.”