Former President Donald Trump and his top officials have unequivocally challenged a leaked intelligence report claiming that recent US strikes on Iran's nuclear program only delayed its advancements for a few months. At a NATO summit in The Hague, Trump asserted that the strikes had virtually obliterated Iran's nuclear capabilities, arguing that the operations set their atomic ambitions back for decades.
Trump Rejects Claims of Limited Impact from US Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Program
Trump Rejects Claims of Limited Impact from US Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Program
Trump and officials firmly dispute leaked intelligence suggesting minimal damage to Iran’s nuclear capacity.
The controversy erupted following a leaked assessment from the Pentagon which indicated that while the US targeted key facilities, including Fordo and Natanz, Iran's enriched uranium stockpile remained largely intact. Sources familiar with the report relayed to CBS that the strikes had only partially inhibited the country's nuclear operations, sealing off entrances but leaving underground structures undisturbed. The White House dismissed this assessment as "flat-out wrong".
During the summit, Trump acknowledged that initial intelligence was "very inconclusive," yet he claimed the strikes were significantly damaging. He even drew parallels to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima, emphasizing that he did not expect Iran to resume its nuclear activities.
Supporting Trump's assertions, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth labeled the leaked report as politically motivated, stating the bombs hit their marks effectively. He criticized the assessment as speculative and unsupported by credible evidence. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed these sentiments, decrying the leaks as distortions originating from unreliable sources.
According to the preliminary evaluations, some of Iran's enriched uranium had possibly been relocated before the US attacks, with most of the damage limited to surface-level facilities. Significantly, the intelligence community characterized the findings as having "low confidence," indicating uncertainty surrounding the data and suggesting that further assessments were needed.
The recent strikes involved the use of advanced "bunker buster" bombs aimed at penetrating hardened targets, yet questions linger about the full extent of damage inflicted below ground. Satellite imagery revealed significant surface craters, but the deeper impacts remain uncertain. Meanwhile, Iranian officials contended that the affected sites had been evacuated prior to the airstrikes, claiming no major blow to their operations.
Despite the leaked assessments, both US and Israeli officials have deemed the operation a critical success, juxtaposing their statements against ongoing disputes regarding the actual influence of the strikes on Iran's nuclear program.
During the summit, Trump acknowledged that initial intelligence was "very inconclusive," yet he claimed the strikes were significantly damaging. He even drew parallels to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima, emphasizing that he did not expect Iran to resume its nuclear activities.
Supporting Trump's assertions, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth labeled the leaked report as politically motivated, stating the bombs hit their marks effectively. He criticized the assessment as speculative and unsupported by credible evidence. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed these sentiments, decrying the leaks as distortions originating from unreliable sources.
According to the preliminary evaluations, some of Iran's enriched uranium had possibly been relocated before the US attacks, with most of the damage limited to surface-level facilities. Significantly, the intelligence community characterized the findings as having "low confidence," indicating uncertainty surrounding the data and suggesting that further assessments were needed.
The recent strikes involved the use of advanced "bunker buster" bombs aimed at penetrating hardened targets, yet questions linger about the full extent of damage inflicted below ground. Satellite imagery revealed significant surface craters, but the deeper impacts remain uncertain. Meanwhile, Iranian officials contended that the affected sites had been evacuated prior to the airstrikes, claiming no major blow to their operations.
Despite the leaked assessments, both US and Israeli officials have deemed the operation a critical success, juxtaposing their statements against ongoing disputes regarding the actual influence of the strikes on Iran's nuclear program.
