US Intel Warns Iran Nuclear Sites Intact After Strikes
What Happened
An early U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency assessment, according to American media CNN, indicates the weekend strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, failed to destroy the core nuclear infrastructure. While entrances were damaged and some above-ground structures were hit, centrifuges and enriched uranium stockpiles remain largely intact. The strikes are estimated to have set Iran’s nuclear programme back by only a few months, directly contradicting President Trump’s claims of “total obliteration.” The White House has labelled the report “flat-out wrong” and criticised the leak.
What Next
The revelation fuels growing doubts over the effectiveness of airstrikes as a strategy to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability. The intelligence community will continue refining its damage assessments, but with key components still operational, further action may be considered. Iran could interpret this as a lack of deterrence and accelerate its nuclear efforts. U.S. policymakers and military leaders face mounting pressure to reassess the situation, pressuring Iran through diplomatic channels, or prepare for potential follow-up strikes.
