US strikes failed to destroy Iran's nuclear program, only delayed it by months: Pentagon intel

A new US intelligence report says Iran’s nuclear programme was only delayed by a few months following a recent US airstrike, contradicting claims by President Donald Trump that it was “completely obliterated,” according to two sources familiar with the early findings.

The initial assessment, prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Monday, challenges statements made by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the damage to Iran’s nuclear sites. The sources, who spoke anonymously as they weren’t authorised to discuss it publicly, said that while key sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were hit hard, they were not totally destroyed.

White House rejects intel report

The White House rejected the report, calling it “flat-out wrong.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the mission, saying, “This leak is clearly aimed at discrediting President Trump and the brave pilots who carried out a flawless strike. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000-pound bombs directly on target: total obliteration.”

Iran may have moved enriched uranium before the strikes

The report also found that much of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to make a nuclear weapon, was moved before the US strikes. Officials believe it may have been relocated to other hidden nuclear sites in Iran.

Preliminary assessment suggests overstated damage

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) based its findings on a preliminary damage assessment from US Central Command, which runs American military operations in the Middle East. The report suggests that President Trump may have overstated the damage when he said Iran’s nuclear sites were “obliterated.”

Trump declared ‘total destruction’ of Iranian facilities

In a televised speech on Saturday night after the strikes, Trump claimed the US had completely destroyed Iran’s enrichment sites at Natanz, Fordow (which is deep underground), and Isfahan, where enriched material was stored.

“The strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” Trump said from the White House.

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Further assessments may show even less damage

Although the DIA report is an early assessment, one of the sources noted that if Fordow was already found to be intact within days, later reports may reveal even less damage than initially believed.