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Stunning events over the weekend America's attack on around years in the banking a snow thirty six sound long operation named Midnight Hammer. Pilots dropped some of the largest bombs in their arsenal on Iranian nuclear facilities. Joining us now to discuss is the former US Defense Secretary Marc Hesper Mister Secretary, Welcome to the program, sir. We'd love to lean on your experience the work to execute an operation like this one and your rarely high level assessment of his success.
Well, good morning. Look, it was clearly successful in terms of the execution. Our aircraft were able to make it in drop what fourteen GBU fifty seven's, the submarines launched Ta lambs from offshore. We were in out with impunity. Nobody was hurt, and I just I think it speaks to the skill and professionalism of the United States military. And now I think what we have to do is
two things. First of all, get a good battle. Damage assessment will take a few days and maybe even then will be incomplete until we get inspectors on the ground. And then secondly, we're all waiting to see what Iran's response will be and there are various predictions you guys have been talking about it what they may or may not do. But that's what we're all waiting for now.
If you're advising the president right now, what would you say to him in terms of what to expect in terms of Tehran's retaliation.
Yeah, Look, I think there are a range of things they could do, you know, were they could first of all, use Shia militia groups in Iraq to target our people and facilities there. Secondly, much like they did during my time in early twenty twenty, they could launch Asavov missiles against US forces in the Middle East, and there are a couple dozen bases there with over forty thousand US service members that they could go after. Third, there could
be sales here in the United States and globally. Or they can go against American officials as they did a couple of years ago and try that. And then they could go after shipping in the straight of hor moves, which I think is unlikely. But to me, those are the range of outcomes that they may pursue here in the coming days.
In twenty twenty, when cost them, Sulimani was struck with that drone strike. We did see retaliation, but it was telegraphed through back channels to the US administration. Do you think we could see Iran take that same approach this time around?
Yeah? I think what they have to do is calibrate this so that they do enough for domestic consumption, feel like they've satisfied the military, they've struck back. Tell the Iranian people they struck back, but not so much that President Trump really upset anti climbs that escalation ladder and
really hits them back fairly hard. Within hours of the missile strikes at Eli Saud, we had Iranians on the phone privately reaching out to us saying they were done, they had no more, they wanted to stop fighting, et cetera. And that was, of course long before we knew that American service members suffer concussions and TBI. But nonetheless, they'll do a lot of backschilling because they look they can't go much further. This is they're being dismantled, their leadership,
certainly the military side is being taken apart. Their nuclear sites have been pummeled, and so the question is how long, how much long can they go on?
How can they even decide on some sort of retaliation or strike against the United States If the Supreme Leader is reportedly hiding in a bunker, he's in his late eighties, and he has no access even to electronic communication.
Yeah. Look, that's the big question is who's in charge, how complete, how effective is the chain of command right now? Are there instructions left behind to the IRGC or to the missile forces to launch attacks that may may explain why they haven't responded here in the twenty four to thirty six hours since the US strikes on FDA, NA Ton's and Esfahan.
There's one theory out there, Secretary that this could potentially reignite some of the efforts that are on has made to achieve nuclear status, because that is the only deterrence, And especially with the four hundred kilograms of enriched uranium missing into action, how concerned are you about that reality going underground and really having the Iranian officials expedite those efforts.
Yeah, look, you bring up a good point that I was going to raise. There's still nine hundred pounds of sixty percent enriched uranium that's fairly close to what they would need for ten nuclear weapons. Out there that we don't have control. We don't know where it is. The IE doesn't know where it is, so first of all, we have to track that down. Secondly, we don't know to what degree the Iranian infrastructure has been destroyed, and even if it has, it's just a matter of time
before they rebuild. Now that at this point probably looks more like years than anything else than months. But nonetheless, until there is a fundamental change in the ambitions of the regime or a fundamental change in the regime itself, this is likely an ambition that will grow back over time, arguably more energized than before because of what has happened here in the last couple weeks.
There's a larger point, Secretary that other people have been making this morning, which is that it is a deterrent to say Russia to chig now showing what the US military can do and is willing to do in the phase of some sort of red line that gets crossed. Do you see it that way or do you see other nations and seeing the need to become nuclear or having some sort of deterrent that really takes this potential outcome off the table.
You know, deterrence is based on two things, capability and will. And I think everybody's understood the United States military has the capability to do a lot of things. I don't think anybody ever doubted we could do what we did with regard to B two stealth bombers entering Iranian airspace and dropping these bunker busters. I think what is different here is President Trump has shown the willingness to do it despite domestic voices coming from both the right and
left saying he shouldn't do it. So I think in this regard it's more of his willingness to take action, which probably caught Russia's and Beijing's attention.
Well, this is one criticism of the previous administration. As you know, miss the Secretary, the fibiets provide a satisfactory defterance in key waterways in this region, and I'm thinking more of the Red Sea over the last few years as we think about the straight of Hormos. Can you just share with us what you learn about the best way to provide it to terrence and to prevent the disruption of those waterways.
Yeah.
Well, look, I think sending a clear message first ball is important. But secondly, and I say this in light of the fact that the Iranian Parliament yesterday voted that Iran should close the Straight of Horror moves. I think there's going to be a good argument if they strike back to take out the Iranian navy, particularly those elements of the navy that could shut down or obstruct or hijack shipping in the Straight of Horn moves. So you
could sink the mind layers of the navy. You could go after the swarm boats that tend to come up upon cargo tankers and take them ashore. You could knock out Iranian missile batteries on the coastline. So I think to me that would be the top of my list. If Iran tries to shut down the Straight or takes more aggressive action, beat it to take that card out
of their hand. Because everybody is concerned about shutting down the Straight of Horror moves, and yet even though we fly in the face of their own interests, they continue to.
Threaten that difficult to answer the next question, sir, But just to final question, do you get the sense that American involvement in this operation is over or do you think this might be ongoing.
I think it's to be determined based on how Iran responds. I think President Trump's instincts have long been since the time I work with him. He does not want to get involved in wars. He doesn't want this to go on and on and on. I think if Iran shoots missiles and they're largely effectless, I think we stand back. We probably continue to support the Israelis with munition and
intelligence and defensive air defense capabilities. But I think in terms of continuing strikes, we probably step back at that time and then urge and negotiation. By the way, a negotiation between Iran and Israel that's going to have to include a return to the non proliferation regime and inspectors and verification mechanisms on the ground in Iran. That's absolutely critical.
A deeply thoughtful conversation, sir, and we appreciate your time. The former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper