{"id":81524,"date":"2025-06-27T12:13:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T12:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/06\/27\/lawmaker-proposes-iranian-campaign-medal-for-strikes-on-nuclear-sites\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:19:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:19:47","slug":"lawmaker-proposes-iranian-campaign-medal-for-strikes-on-nuclear-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2025\/06\/27\/lawmaker-proposes-iranian-campaign-medal-for-strikes-on-nuclear-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmaker proposes Iranian Campaign Medal for strikes on nuclear sites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Texas lawmaker wants Congress to establish a new military campaign service medal for the service members involved in the attacks on the Iranian nuclear facilities<\/a> last week, part of an effort to highlight their skill and sacrifice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Tony Gonzales<\/a>, R-Texas \u2014 whose district includes a pair of Air Force bases where service pilots are trained \u2014 plans to introduce legislation creating the Iranian Campaign Medal, with eligibility open to any troops who served in direct support of Operation Midnight Hammer<\/a>, the mission targeting the nuclear sites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Department officials have said the operation involved more than 125 American aircraft and 75 precision weapons<\/a>, making it one of the more complicated missions in recent military history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring my 20 years of military service, including multiple campaigns in the Middle East, I served side by side with the finest troops in the world,\u201d Gonzales said in a statement. \u201cNo matter what the mission is, American service members always rise to the challenge, and Operation Midnight Hammer in Iran is no exception.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\t