Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said Tuesday that President Donald Trump resumed military operations against Iran before the regime could build a defensive network capable of shielding its nuclear program.

He said that the window for decisive action was rapidly closing.

During an appearance on Newsmax's “National Report,” the Tennessee Republican said Iran's expanding missile and drone arsenal threatened to make future strikes far more costly while giving Tehran more time to advance its nuclear ambitions.

"If you step back and ask yourself why did we enter this at the time that we did, it's because the Iranians were developing ballistic missile capability and drone capability that would have allowed them to essentially porcupine their country. And that meant they would have had all the time in the world to pursue their nuclear ambitions," Hagerty said.

Trump recognized the strategic reality, he said, and moved before Iran could strengthen its air defenses beyond the reach of existing U.S. capabilities.

"We have exquisite technology to take out their weaponry, but that technology takes longer to develop. It's a math problem, at the end of the day,” Hagerty said. “President Trump solved that, and he's basically crushing their capacity to defend any of these assets."

He declined to discuss whether additional targets, including the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear complex, could be struck next, saying he would not speculate on the administration’s decisions.

"I'm not going to get ahead of the president or the intelligence in terms of where we're going to target our next effort," Hagerty said. "But I would say this: Our efforts have been very much focused on depriving the Iranian government of any sort of effort, any sort of capability, to deliver nuclear weapons in that capacity."

Hagerty added that future operations would continue to be carried out methodically by U.S. commanders.

"The targeting package that Adm. Cooper is pursuing, he's the head of CENTCOM, will be, I think, discussed and pursued on a strategic basis," he said.

The senator also said that Trump has remained unwavering in his commitment to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power, even as renewed fighting has followed the collapse of a ceasefire.

"I think the president has been completely clear that he's not going to allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, nor nuclear capacity," Hagerty said. "So, I'm not surprised at all that as we get new intelligence, the president is going to proceed against that."

He said the administration also intends to send an unmistakable message following recent attacks that killed U.S. service members.

"I think the Iranian regime needs to learn that President Trump will not tolerate the behavior that we've seen with Iran, certainly when American lives [are lost],” Hagerty said. “And certainly, my heart goes out to the soldiers and their family who most recently perished. That will not be tolerated.”

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