Washington DC - Pete Hegseth's Pentagon reportedly admitted that it had no evidence or intelligence of an impending attack on the US interests by Iran.

According to CNN and Reuters, a Pentagon briefing for congressional staff directly contradicted claims made by President Donald Trump's administration that the US attacked Iran because the Islamic republic was planning an attack against US bases in the Middle East.

Both Trump and Israel, the US partner in the war on Iran, had claimed from the outset the strikes launched Saturday were "preemptive."

Pentagon representatives at the briefing reportedly pointed to Iran's ballistic missile program and allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon to make the case for war, but there was reportedly no evidence of an imminent attack presented.

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White House spokesperson Dylan Johnson denied the accounts when approached for comment, telling CNN that the Pentagon had "briefed the bipartisan staffs of several national security committees in both chambers for over 90 minutes on the military action in Iran."

The Trump administration has faced criticism from Democrats not seeking congressional approval for his war, as required by law, with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie also expressing opposition.