Officials from the Trump administration criticized a leaked preliminary assessment regarding the damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities during recent US airstrikes, which the president had celebrated as a significant success.
This classified report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was labeled a “low confidence” evaluation of the impact on sites such as Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. According to reports, it suggested that Iran could potentially reactivate its nuclear program within one to two months.
Some individuals familiar with the DIA findings indicated that, at most, it might take Iran up to a year to resume uranium enrichment.
Though it was initially disclosed in the leaked document, the DIA’s ongoing assessment could change, maintaining that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium remained intact despite the “bunker buster” bomb that hit its nuclear sites.
The White House firmly disagreed with the DIA’s preliminary conclusions.
“This evaluation was deemed incorrect and marked as ‘top secret’; yet, it was leaked by an anonymous individual within the intelligence community,” a spokesperson noted.
They further suggested that this leak appears to undermine President Trump and to cast doubt on the valor of the fighter pilots who supposedly executed a comprehensive mission to dismantle Iran’s nuclear aspirations.
“It’s common knowledge that when you unleash 14 30,000-pound bombs on a target, you obliterate it,” the spokesperson asserted.
The report is said to rely on satellite imagery and intercepted communications since the strikes.
It details the damages at Fordow, a facility situated beneath a mountain south of Tehran, which sustained hits from 14 large bombs.
While the entrance to Fordow was reported damaged—a blow to some parts of its infrastructure—there were indications that Iran could potentially excavate, fix, or reconstruct the site.
Another official, Envoy Steve Witkov, dismissed claims of military failures in Iran as “absurd.” He referenced various damage assessments, stating, “I won’t delve too deeply into classified information, but I’ll certainly clarify what went down.”
Witkov claimed that the conversion facility in Isfahan was “the only one in Iran capable of processing” necessary for uranium enrichment and asserted that it was “totally destroyed” in the weekend airstrike.
“It’s gone. They can’t convert any uranium now. That 30,000-pound bunker buster ensured that,” said the Trump administration representative.
Witkov added, “Natanz has two reactors; one is above ground and the other is subterranean. We know the underground facility has vulnerabilities, and previous strikes have already inflicted damage.”
He further noted, “We targeted Fordow with 12 bunker buster bombs. It is without question that the structural integrity has been breached at significant depths.”
Witkov condemned the DIA’s ratings as “scandalous” and called for accountability measures to be put in place. The White House has yet to respond to requests for comments on this matter.
