Recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites have sparked a flurry of statements and counterclaims regarding the extent of the damage, particularly at the underground Fordow facility.
At a NATO summit in The Hague, President Donald Trump claimed that the strikes had resulted in the “obliteration” of Fordow and other nuclear sites, asserting that Israeli intelligence operatives had visited the location and confirmed the facility’s destruction.
However, Israeli Member of Knesset Aryeh Deri contradicted those claims, stating that no Israeli agents had visited Fordow yet. Speaking to the Haredi news outlet Kikar Hashabbat, Deri said, “No one knows—because no one has visited there yet,” though he acknowledged that satellite imagery suggested the facility had sustained significant damage.
Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi offered a more supportive view of the impact, telling Ynet that Iran’s nuclear program had suffered a “dramatic blow” that would take years to recover from. He cited reported destruction at multiple facilities, including Natanz, Isfahan, and Arak, and suggested Fordow had likely been rendered inoperable long-term.
Despite these assessments, some media outlets have reported that the damage to Iran’s nuclear capabilities may be temporary. These reports referenced an early Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment suggesting the strikes might have delayed Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months, rather than permanently disabling it.
U.S. officials strongly pushed back on those reports. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the strikes hit their intended targets and caused widespread devastation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran was now “much further away from a nuclear weapon,” adding that damage was “substantial.”
Trump reaffirmed that “the bombs landed where they were supposed to land,” and described the strikes as a historic setback for Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He added that Israel would soon release an official assessment.
Meanwhile, concerns have arisen over a leak of the DIA’s initial internal damage report. U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff called for an investigation, describing the leak as “outrageous” and “potentially treasonous.” Hegseth confirmed that the FBI is currently investigating how the information was shared with the press.
As the dust settles, the international community continues to assess the true extent of the operation’s impact amid a backdrop of heightened tensions and conflicting narratives.
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