WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite initial U.S. intelligence assessments indicating that the attack caused just a minor setback, President Donald Trump asserted Wednesday that U.S. attacks dealt a devastating damage to Iran’s nuclear program.
As his government sent out a phalanx of top officials to support his assertions that Iran’s nuclear program was totally and totally destroyed, Trump declared, “This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop.”
The leaked intelligence assessment, which claimed that Iran had a mere few-month delay, was described as preliminary and low confidence by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The authorities who revealed the results are professional stabbers, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The White House cited an Israel Atomic Energy Commission statement stating that Iran has suffered a long-term setback.
It is challenging to draw trustworthy conclusions regarding the effects of the U.S. strikes, which makes the topic a fertile ground for conflicting assertions that may influence how American voters perceive Trump’s bold choice to support Israel’s airstrikes on Iran.
Trump’s future moves in the Middle East, where diplomatic measures might be needed to stop Iran from reestablishing its nuclear program, are also on the line.
While Israeli and American leaders have characterized Iran’s nuclear program as a prelude to acquiring a nuclear weapon, Iran insists that its nuclear aspirations are for peaceful purposes.
Fordo, where nuclear infrastructure is hidden deep underground, was one of the objectives of the U.S. strike. In a statement, the Israeli panel claimed that the enrichment facility was rendered inoperable by the bombing.
The White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration disseminated the message.
The statement claimed that Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons had been delayed by many years as a result of American strikes on its nuclear facilities and Israeli strikes on other areas of Iran’s military nuclear program.
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also told Al Jazeera that American bombs had caused serious damage.
“There is no doubt that our nuclear installations have suffered significant damage,” he stated.
Some of Trump’s long-standing grievances against intelligence officers and leakers, whom he has frequently perceived as being a part of a deep state bent on undermining his goals, have been rekindled by the episode. Additionally, he attacked media outlets that covered the confidential assessment, calling them vile and repulsive.
Trump claimed that it was disrespectful to the military, which used stealth bombers to hit the nuclear installations using missiles meant to pierce deep below, to cast doubt on the strikes’ efficacy.
He claimed that the pilots, who put their lives in danger for our nation, were treated unfairly in the reports.
The removal of enriched uranium, which might be used to make nuclear weapon fuel, from sites prior to the U.S. strikes is a crucial question.
Trump stated, “I think they didn’t have a chance to get anything out because we acted fast.” He went on to say that moving that kind of material is extremely risky and difficult.
Originally planned for Tuesday, classified briefings for lawmakers are now anticipated to occur on Thursday and Friday.
