Pentagon Report Indicates Key Elements of Iran’s Nuclear Program Remain Intact, Despite U.S. Airstrikes

 

WASHINGTON – Key components of Iran’s nuclear program appear to have survived the June 21 U.S. airstrikes, according to a preliminary assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), a finding that contradicts statements by former President Donald Trump and other top officials.

The assessment, shared by a U.S. official familiar with the classified report, indicates that while the strikes caused significant surface-level damage—particularly to infrastructure surrounding key nuclear sites—some of the core capabilities, including uranium enrichment centrifuges and stockpiles of enriched uranium, remain intact. The intelligence was compiled from intercepted communications and other sources in the 96 hours following the attacks.

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly claimed that the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, dismissing the DIA findings as politically motivated. “Based on everything we have seen—and I’ve seen it all—our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons,” said Hegseth. “Anyone who says otherwise is just trying to undermine the president and the success of this mission.”

The June 21 attack included B-2 stealth bombers deploying GBU-57 bunker-busting bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds, along with Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a U.S. Navy submarine. Targets included the heavily fortified nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz, as well as the Isfahan uranium conversion plant.

While the Pentagon has described the strikes as a technical success, the DIA estimates that Iran’s nuclear ambitions may have only been delayed by six to twelve months. “The physical infrastructure above ground was severely damaged,” the official noted, “but assessing the damage to underground facilities is still ongoing.”

At a June 25 NATO summit in the Netherlands, Trump strongly rejected the intelligence assessment, comparing the airstrikes to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. “It’s destroyed,” he declared.

CNN was the first to report on the DIA’s findings, which also suggested that only parts of the report were classified as "low confidence," despite Hegseth's broad dismissal.

Experts Divided on Extent of Damage

Several nuclear analysts have also challenged the DIA’s conclusions, suggesting that the damage may be more extensive than the report indicates.

David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, called the DIA’s findings “hard to believe.” According to a separate analysis by the institute, Fordow was likely “severely damaged or destroyed,” while Natanz was “likely destroyed and knocked out of operation.” The Isfahan facility reportedly suffered severe damage, with tunnel entrances collapsed.

Some U.S. officials had expressed concerns that Iran may have relocated equipment or materials in anticipation of an attack. Trump, however, dismissed these fears. “We think we hit them so hard and so fast, they didn’t get to move,” he said.

Israel's military stated it bombed access routes to Fordow on June 23 to prevent the relocation of nuclear materials.

Trump has since taken a “victory lap” following a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel, which ended nearly two weeks of aerial exchanges. “We think it’s over,” he said at the summit.

While debate continues over the actual damage inflicted, the long-term impact of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains uncertain. A full damage assessment is still in progress, according to Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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Source; usatoday.com