Pete Hegseth has launched a scathing attack on media organisations for what he called "irresponsible reporting" about a recent strike on Iran.

Speaking publicly, he criticised outlets including The Washington Post, Fox News, CNN and MSNBC for coverage based on leaked intelligence.

"There was a great deal of irresponsible reporting based on leaks, preliminary information, and low-confidence intel," Hegseth said.

He argued that selective leaks of intelligence assessments were being used to create a narrative questioning the strike's effectiveness.

The defence official suggested that those leaking partial intelligence reports were doing so "with an agenda" to spark a news cycle that cast doubt on the operation's success.

Hegseth drew a clear distinction between military assessment and political commentary, explaining that whilst a military chairman might use terms like "defeated" or "destroyed", he could employ stronger language such as "obliterated" when discussing the strike's impact.