Exclusive: Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites, sources say
Source: CNN
The US military strikes on three of Irans nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of the countrys nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to an early US intelligence assessment that was described by four people briefed on it.
The assessment, which has not been previously reported, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagons intelligence arm. It is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by US Central Command in the aftermath of the US strikes, one of the sources said.
The analysis of the damage to the sites and the impact of the strikes on Irans nuclear ambitions is ongoing, and could change as more intelligence becomes available. But the early findings are at odds with President Donald Trumps repeated claims that the strikes completely and totally obliterated Irans nuclear enrichment facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said on Sunday that Irans nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.
Two of the people familiar with the assessment said Irans stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed. One of the people said the centrifuges are largely intact.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/24/politics/intel-assessment-us-strikes-iran-nuclear-sites
BoRaGard
(7,591 posts)Jack Valentino
(4,365 posts)his polling numbers.....
Hey, he's an old man, give him a break. Old men sometimes become confused....
rampartd
(3,775 posts)isn't their job to tell dear leader what he wants to hear?
IronLionZion
(50,818 posts)that's a hell of a lot of explosive power.
It's amazing to drop that much on sites without destroying them.
speak easy
(12,595 posts)... a poor substitute for one nuke
Jack Valentino
(4,365 posts)Once the Genie is out of the bottle, it is very difficult to put it back in.
And I suspect, no small tactical nuke or even moderate nuke,
would be that effective either at "obliterating" a target under 200 feet of rock...
from which as reported, the Iranians had already removed much of their refined uranium, anyway
speak easy
(12,595 posts)Of course not.
Jack Valentino
(4,365 posts)We buried our main SAC sites within or under mountains, with the intent to protect them against attacks by ACTUAL nuclear bombs....
As such, I had my doubts that the 'bunker-busting bombs' would be that effective.... because,
a MOUNTAIN is not a 'bunker'.... (also have doubts that a smaller "tactical" nuclear weapon
could "obliterate" those sites--- being cited as below 200-ish feet of rock, as I recall reading)
In any instance, Trump has SUCCEEDED
in increasing Iran's desire to obtain atomic weapons---
for the purpose of self-defense
Nice work, Don-ho
Dave Bowman
(6,648 posts)Vinca
(53,346 posts)Wiz Imp
(8,950 posts)moondust
(21,203 posts)Aren't the nuke facilities the targets he has wanted to eliminate for decades and the main reason he launched attacks 11 days ago? Will he keep the ceasefire now or launch new attacks?
Climate Crusader
(147 posts)The day after the assault, Israel returned to Fordo and bombed the roads and surrounding infrastructure. They were isolating the area from re-reinforcements. It would be smart strategy to send your "best of the best" in to the wounded facility to assess and destroy anything remaining, or find that materials and equipment has been removed.
I further believe that Trump screwed the plan up with his false ceasefire narrative suggesting that either the Israelis are keeping Trump out of the loop and just using him for the Bunker Busters, or Trump is aware of their interest and is thwarting their efforts.
Either way, the world is more dangerous today than it was two weeks ago.
LetMyPeopleVote
(174,948 posts)Link to tweet
Trumps premature victory lap will go down as a historic embarrassment
According to the new report, Trumps claim that the targets were completely and fully obliterated was patently false. He was so eager to claim a victory for his braying MAGA base that he totally jumped the gun.
The Pentagons Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that the strikes likely only set Irans nuclear program back by a few months, an utterly meaningless delay in geopolitical terms. The assessment was based on battle damage surveyed in the wake of the strike.
Four sources familiar with the assessment spoke to CNN. Two of them stated that Irans enriched uranium stockpile survived the bombings. Another stated that the centrifuges remain mostly intact.
NBC News previously reported that the extent of the damage to the deeply buried facility at Fordo as well as the sites at Isfahan and Natanz has yet to be determined. According to that report, roughly 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium is still publicly unaccounted for.
The New York Times reports that the uranium in question could be enough to make nine or ten atomic bombs.
The Trump administration is already scrambling to do damage control.
This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as top secret but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Irans nuclear program, she added. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.
Its worth noting that the House and Senate were supposed to receive classified briefings on the strikes today but those briefings were canceled. The Senate briefing has been rescheduled for Thursday. The obvious conclusion is that Trump doesnt want Congress to know that his attacks failed until hes had time to spin up a new narrative.
Trump just cancelled a classified House briefing on the Iran strikes with zero explanation. The real reason? He claims he destroyed all nuclear facilities and capability; his team knows they cant back up his bluster and BS, Congressman Pat Ryan wrote on X.
Mtnmama
(134 posts)Decisions affecting the whole world, based on raw emotion, not on facts learned from our intelligence gathering. And when he hears that the two don't jive, he lashes out, throws a tantrum. I never trust what trump, or his administration, says is true.
twodogsbarking
(17,577 posts)ananda
(34,414 posts)A friend of mine had talked about this,
and after our discussion, we became
convinced that these were dummy sites.
TomSlick
(12,881 posts)The safe course is to assume the opposite of anything he says.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(132,819 posts)Initech
(107,429 posts)BlueWavePsych
(3,319 posts)History repeats itself

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