American intelligence assessment: Iran's attacks did not destroy nuclear programme
(a year ago)According to an early assessment of the Pentagon's Security Intelligence Agency (DIA), US military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities over the past weekend did not destroy the key components of the Iranian nuclear programme, but merely delayed it for several months. As CNN writes, these findings are clearly opposed to [...] claims.
According to an early assessment of the Pentagon's Security Intelligence Agency (DIA), US military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities over the past weekend did not destroy the key components of the Iranian nuclear programme, but merely delayed it for several months.
As it says CNNThese findings are clearly opposed to claims by President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had declared the attacks to be “fully examining Iran's” nuclear capacities.
The assessment, described by four sources familiar with the issue, shows that centrifuges remained largely intact and the reserves of enriched uranium were not destroyed. Instead, the damage was mainly in overland structures, including energy infrastructure and some uranium converting facilities.
The operation involved hitting three main objects -- Fordow, Nataz and Isfahan -- with heavy piercing bombs and Tomhawk rockets, but the impact on deep underground levels remained limited. American officials also believe that some of Iran's hidden nuclear facilities were not affected and remain functional.
Although the American Army described the operation as an extraordinary <x0-5-x1>, Joint Army Staff Chairman Dan Caine warned it is the “too early to judge whether Iran's nuclear capacities have been completely eliminated.
Meanwhile, the White House reacted to the DIA's flow of assessment, calling it “totally wrong” and an attempt to undermine the success of President Trump and the military operation. The discovery of this information also prompted the postponement of classified meetings for informing the Senate and the House of Representatives of the operation.
Significantly, Israel had undertaken preliminary attacks on these facilities, but had sought US assistance through heavy bombs to complete the mission.
Despite contrasting assessments, President Trump stood behind his statements, saying that <x0 locations have been destroyed and pilots should be assessed for the success of mission”./Periscopi/