US military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend did not destroy the main components of the country's nuclear program and likely only delayed it by a few months, CNN reported Tuesday.
According to a US intelligence analysis reviewed by the network, core components of Iran's nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan remain intact, despite the strikes over the weekend. The assessment, based on classified documents and shared by three sources, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the intelligence arm of the Pentagon. One source explained that the evaluation was based on battle damage assessments conducted by US Central Command.
In contrast, Israeli intelligence assessments have suggested the strikes dealt a severe blow to Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
While the US analysis is still ongoing and may be updated with new intelligence, early findings contradict repeated claims by President Donald Trump that the strikes had "completely wiped out" Iran's uranium enrichment infrastructure. Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth also stated Sunday that Iran's nuclear ambitions had been "eliminated."
However, two individuals familiar with the assessment said Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed, and one source noted that the centrifuges were "largely intact." That source added, "The DIA's assessment is that the US may have set them back by a few months, at most."
The White House confirmed the existence of the assessment but said it did not agree with its conclusions.
