US intel challenges Trump’s ‘obliteration’ claim on Iran nuclear sites

U.S. airstrikes failed to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities and only caused a short-term setback, according to a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment, as a fragile ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump took effect between Iran and Israel.

Earlier on Tuesday, both nations indicated that their aerial conflict had ceased, at least temporarily, following Trump’s public reprimand for violating a ceasefire he announced at 05:00 GMT.

After 12 days of conflict—during which the U.S. joined the fight by targeting Iran’s uranium enrichment sites—Iran and Israel began lifting civilian restrictions, with both sides claiming victory.

Over the weekend, Trump declared that the U.S. had used 30,000-pound bombs to “obliterate” Iran’s nuclear program. However, a preliminary assessment by one of his administration’s intelligence agencies appeared to contradict this claim, according to three individuals familiar with the findings.

One source noted that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium remained intact, and because much of its nuclear infrastructure is located deep underground, the strikes may have delayed its program by only one to two months. Iran maintains that its nuclear work is for civilian energy purposes.

The White House dismissed the intelligence assessment as “flat out wrong.” According to the report from the Defense Intelligence Agency, the strikes managed to seal off entrances to two nuclear sites but did not cause the collapse of any underground facilities, one source said.

The Washington Post, citing an unnamed source, reported that some centrifuges remained operational after the strikes.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration informed the United Nations Security Council that its attacks had “degraded” Iran’s nuclear capabilities—an apparent shift from Trump’s earlier claim that they had been “obliterated.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that the strikes had eliminated the threat of nuclear destruction and pledged to prevent Iran from restarting its weapons program.

“We’ve neutralized two immediate existential threats: nuclear annihilation and destruction by 20,000 ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu declared.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, described the end of the conflict as a “great victory” for Iran, according to state media. He also told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Tehran was ready to resolve its differences with Washington, the IRNA news agency reported.

Israel launched the surprise air offensive on June 13, targeting Iranian nuclear sites and killing several top military officials in what has been described as the Islamic Republic’s most severe blow since the 1980s war with Iraq.