Former US President Donald Trump has reiterated his claim that American airstrikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear sites during the June 22 operation, citing an assessment by Israel’s nuclear authority. However, this assertion stands in contrast with US intelligence findings, which suggest only minimal disruption to Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump referred to the Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) report that claimed the US strike had destroyed critical infrastructure at Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, rendering the uranium enrichment facility inoperable
“Israel just stated that the Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED! Thank you to our great B-2 pilots, and all others involved!” Trump posted on Wednesday (local time).
The IAEC, through a statement released by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, asserted that joint US-Israeli strikes had significantly set back Iran’s nuclear weapons development program by several years. The agency claimed that unless Iran regains access to nuclear materials, the damage could halt progress indefinitely.
However, Trump’s celebratory remarks have been challenged by a CNN report, which, citing seven individuals briefed on post-strike assessments, indicated that the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) believes the strikes caused only temporary disruptions, potentially delaying Iran’s nuclear advancement by just a few months.
According to CNN’s findings, the US Central Command’s battle damage assessment revealed that Iran’s centrifuges remained largely intact, and enriched uranium stockpiles were likely relocated before the strikes.
This discrepancy casts doubt on Trump’s and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s public claims that the US had “completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The current round of US-Iran tensions began on June 13, when Israel initiated “Operation Rising Lion”, targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Iran launched “Operation True Promise 3”, involving missile and drone attacks on Israeli infrastructure.
As the war of narratives continues, conflicting reports from allied nations raise further questions over the actual impact of the June 22 airstrikes and the long-term status of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
