Iran’s Nuclear Program Survived US Strikes : US Intelligence

Washington, D.C. — Early US intelligence assessments suggest that recent American airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—failed to destroy the core infrastructure of Iran’s nuclear program, according to seven sources familiar with the findings.The classified analysis from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), based on post-strike damage reports, indicates the attacks likely delayed Iran’s nuclear progress by only a few months. This contradicts President Trump’s claim that the sites were “completely obliterated.”Officials say Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was not destroyed and that many centrifuges remained intact. Intelligence also suggests Iran may have relocated critical materials before the strikes.The White House dismissed the assessment, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling it “flat-out wrong” and accusing the source of leaking classified information to undermine the president. Trump, currently at a NATO summit, called the strikes “one of the most successful military operations in history.”Although the Pentagon hailed the mission as a success, analysts note the damage was largely limited to above-ground infrastructure. Deeply buried facilities, particularly at Fordow and Isfahan, appear to have survived. US B-2 bombers dropped over a dozen bunker-buster bombs, but key underground assets were not destroyed.Israel, which had been conducting its own strikes, estimated the joint effort set Iran’s program back by up to two years—assuming it cannot rebuild.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted the bombing “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine cautioned it was too soon to make that judgment. Rep. Michael McCaul added the mission was never expected to completely eliminate Iran’s program, only to deliver a “temporary setback.”Independent experts agreed. Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute said satellite imagery shows several underground sites remain intact and could allow Iran to quickly resume nuclear development.Notably, the US used Tomahawk missiles on Isfahan rather than bunker-busters, acknowledging the site’s extreme depth. Sources also warned of undisclosed Iranian nuclear facilities that remain operational.Adding to political tension, classified briefings on the operation for both the House and Senate were abruptly canceled. Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) claimed the cancellations were politically motivated to avoid scrutiny of the operation’s limited success.As intelligence continues to be gathered, questions remain over whether the strikes achieved their strategic objective or simply delayed the inevitable.