Iran's Defence Ministry has dismissed Pete Hegseth's assessment of Iran's military capacity as a fabrication, CBS News reports. The ministry said on Wednesday 11 November that Iran's armed forces still have weapons stockpiled.
The statement responds to Hegseth's Pentagon briefing on Tuesday. There the US Defense (War) Secretary claimed "More than 13,000 targets struck" and "More than 80% of their nuclear industrial base gone".
CBS notes that neither side has offered evidence for its position. Hegseth's figures have not been independently checked, and neither has Iran's claim about its stockpiles.
Hegseth also said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz is under US control. According to CBS, Iran continues to attack vessels daily in and near the waterway. On that reporting, his claim does not match events in the strait.
CBS adds that neither the US nor Iran has launched large-scale strikes since the summer, and that both sides claim to have won the war.