The U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear sites was a complex mission that used decoy bombers and "misdirection" to carry out the secret operation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a news conference Sunday morning.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, standing with Hegseth, said the mission was a "complex and high-risk mission" that was known to only a few people and relied on decoys to protect the integrity of the mission.

Decoy B-2 stealth bombers flew over the Pacific toward Guam on Saturday to draw attention away from the mission, Caine said. News reports at the time reflected the movements.