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AZProgressive

(29,852 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 02:14 PM Jun 2025

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 Iran’s nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of the country’s 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 Pentagon’s 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 Iran’s nuclear ambitions is ongoing, and could change as more intelligence becomes available. But the early findings are at odds with President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said on Sunday that Iran’s nuclear ambitions “have been obliterated.”

Two of the people familiar with the assessment said Iran’s 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

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Exclusive: Early US intel assessment suggests strikes on Iran did not destroy nuclear sites, sources say (Original Post) AZProgressive Jun 2025 OP
"Ooops, I lied again. Smirk. Sorry, not sorry. Suckers. Ha ha." - Krasnov (R-Felon/Rapist) BoRaGard Jun 2025 #1
Trump mistook the bomb damage in Iran for the "obliteration" of Jack Valentino Jun 2025 #18
massive layoffs at dia on the way rampartd Jun 2025 #2
They dropped 14 bombs that were 30,000 lbs each IronLionZion Jun 2025 #3
"14 bombs that were 30,000 lbs each" speak easy Jun 2025 #15
So are you advocating the use of nuclear weapons on that site ??? Jack Valentino Jun 2025 #20
So are you advocating the use of nuclear weapons on that site? speak easy Jun 2025 #21
The main site is buried in a mountain... Jack Valentino Jun 2025 #19
Dump's brain is what's completely and totally obliterated. Dave Bowman Jun 2025 #4
Why do I think Krasnov will disagree with that assessment? Vinca Jun 2025 #5
Of course they didn't. They accomplished absolutely nothing except wasting millions of dollars. Wiz Imp Jun 2025 #6
What will Bibi do now? moondust Jun 2025 #7
I believe that Israel had intended to follow up the US Bunker buster assault with Commandos on the ground. Climate Crusader Jun 2025 #9
Donald Trump's illegal bombings failed to destroy the "core components" of the country's nuclear program LetMyPeopleVote Jun 2025 #8
Trump is making enormous decisions, Mtnmama Jun 2025 #10
They need to hype it up a bit or their asseses are gone. twodogsbarking Jun 2025 #11
I knew this from the beginning. ananda Jun 2025 #12
This was obvious when the Glorious Leader announced the Iranian nuclear program had been obliterated. TomSlick Jun 2025 #13
No Nobel prize for you Donny Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jun 2025 #14
I'm shocked, SHOCKED! Well... not that shocked. Initech Jun 2025 #16
Mission accomplished ??? BlueWavePsych Jun 2025 #17
How much did this cost us, and how many million dollars did he waste. Yellowdog-1966 Jun 2025 #22

Jack Valentino

(4,365 posts)
18. Trump mistook the bomb damage in Iran for the "obliteration" of
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 11:10 PM
Jun 2025

his polling numbers.....

Hey, he's an old man, give him a break. Old men sometimes become confused....

IronLionZion

(50,818 posts)
3. They dropped 14 bombs that were 30,000 lbs each
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 02:22 PM
Jun 2025

that's a hell of a lot of explosive power. It's amazing to drop that much on sites without destroying them.

Jack Valentino

(4,365 posts)
20. So are you advocating the use of nuclear weapons on that site ???
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 11:19 PM
Jun 2025

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

Jack Valentino

(4,365 posts)
19. The main site is buried in a mountain...
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 11:16 PM
Jun 2025

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


Wiz Imp

(8,950 posts)
6. Of course they didn't. They accomplished absolutely nothing except wasting millions of dollars.
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 02:38 PM
Jun 2025

moondust

(21,203 posts)
7. What will Bibi do now?
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 02:56 PM
Jun 2025

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)
9. I believe that Israel had intended to follow up the US Bunker buster assault with Commandos on the ground.
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 03:08 PM
Jun 2025

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)
8. Donald Trump's illegal bombings failed to destroy the "core components" of the country's nuclear program
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 02:58 PM
Jun 2025



MAJOR BREAKING: CNN drops the bombshell news that a U.S. intelligence assessment has discovered that Donald Trump’s illegal bombing of three Iranian sites failed to destroy the “core components” of the country’s nuclear program.

Trump’s premature victory lap will go down as a historic embarrassment…

According to the new report, Trump’s 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 Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that the strikes likely only set Iran’s 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 Iran’s 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 Iran’s nuclear program,” she added. “Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

It’s 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 doesn’t want Congress to know that his attacks failed until he’s 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 can’t back up his bluster and BS,” Congressman Pat Ryan wrote on X.



Mtnmama

(134 posts)
10. Trump is making enormous decisions,
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 03:44 PM
Jun 2025

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.

ananda

(34,414 posts)
12. I knew this from the beginning.
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 03:48 PM
Jun 2025

A friend of mine had talked about this,
and after our discussion, we became
convinced that these were dummy sites.

TomSlick

(12,881 posts)
13. This was obvious when the Glorious Leader announced the Iranian nuclear program had been obliterated.
Tue Jun 24, 2025, 06:04 PM
Jun 2025

The safe course is to assume the opposite of anything he says.

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