Coverage Overview

US President Donald Trump said Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles are "so deeply buried" that they would be "very hard for anybody" to raid, according to a CBS News interview reported by the Jerusalem Post. The president also addressed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting other countries should "come up and grab" their oil, asserting there is "no real threat" because Iran "has been decimated."

In a press conference on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, said more ships are now traversing the Strait of Hormuz than previously, crediting Trump's threats for opening the waterway. Hegseth reiterated a preference for a negotiated outcome: "We would much prefer to get a deal. If Iran was willing to relinquish material they have and ambitions they have, open the strait - that's the goal." He added, "We don't want to do more militarily than we have to. But I didn't mean it flippantly when I said that in the meantime, we'll negotiate with bombs."

Hegseth described the coming days of Operation Epic Fury as "decisive" but declined to provide a specific timeline for the operation's end, noting that Trump had floated various durations and that precise figures would not be revealed.

Diverging Narratives on Military Progress

While the Jerusalem Post and Yonhap report a president confident in the operation's near-completion, TASS, citing a Politico article, paints a more challenging picture. According to TASS, the Pentagon is "running out of strategically important targets to hit in Iran," with remaining ballistic missile stockpiles likely housed in hardened bunkers. A former US official quoted by Politico said "few military sites [are] accessible now without a ground invasion," and another source warned of a politically delicate situation: "He'll be humiliated if he leaves; and we'll be in a quagmire if he stays."

TASS further reports that Tehran's strategy of waiting out American forces is "paying some dividends," driving energy prices higher and increasing political pressure on the administration. These contrasting accounts may reflect the differing sources and perspectives of the outlets, with TASS drawing on Politico's reporting, which often relies on anonymous officials.

Key Claims

  • Deeply Buried Uranium: Trump stated Iran's enriched uranium is deeply buried and hard to strike, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • Strait of Hormuz: Trump said other countries should retrieve their own oil, dismissing substantive threats, per the Jerusalem Post and Yonhap.
  • Operation Epic Fury: Hegseth called the upcoming days "decisive," though he gave no end date, according to the Jerusalem Post.
  • Two to Three Weeks: Trump said the US will hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks, and suggested the operation could conclude in that timeframe, per Yonhap and the Jerusalem Post.
  • Targeting Challenges: The Pentagon faces difficulties hitting remaining Iranian military sites, including hardened bunkers, according to TASS's report on Politico.
  • Netanyahu's Proposal: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the US can handle the Strait by force and could bypass it by diverting pipelines from Iran to Israel via Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

US Administration: The administration emphasizes the success of military strikes and the nearing completion of core objectives, while seeking a negotiated end to the conflict.

Iranian Strategy (as reported): Some sources suggest Iran is banking on a war of attrition, hoping to outlast US resolve and increase political costs.

International and Regional Views: Netanyahu's comments reflect Israeli interest in securing energy routes, while other nations relying on the Strait are urged to take a more active role in securing shipping lanes.

As the operation continues, the discrepancy between official statements and independent reports highlights the fog of war and the complexities of assessing progress in real time.