The CIA now believes key Iranian nuclear facilities have been significantly damaged following recent US airstrikes, with reconstruction expected to take years. CIA Director John Ratcliffe cited “new intelligence from a historically reliable source” indicating the destruction of multiple sites critical to Iran’s nuclear program.
Conflicting Intelligence Assessments
Despite Ratcliffe’s claims, the US intelligence community remains divided. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) earlier assessed that the strikes had only delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by several months, not years. This contrast reflects ongoing internal disagreement over the true extent of the damage.
Adding to the claims, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Iran’s main sites—Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan—were “destroyed” and would require complete reconstruction. However, she did not provide supporting evidence.
Read: Israeli Strikes Kill 20 Palestinians Across Gaza
Trump Declares Strikes a Victory
Speaking at the NATO summit, President Donald Trump declared the strikes a turning point, stating they effectively ended the conflict between Israel and Iran. He dismissed doubts raised by the DIA, calling the agency’s findings “preliminary” and “low-confidence.”
Trump compared the strikes to historical wartime acts, saying, “When you look at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that ended a war. This ended a war in a different way.” He insisted that Iran is unlikely to rebuild its program.
Political Stakes for Trump
The success of these strikes carries significant political weight for Trump. Some supporters had criticized the move as inconsistent with his non-interventionist stance. Trump responded that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon justifies the action.
Accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump accused media outlets of misrepresenting classified assessments. Hegseth labeled the DIA report as “leaked and misused,” while Rubio blamed political motives.
NATO Backs US
During the summit, NATO members committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP. Trump cited this as a foreign policy win and reiterated plans to hold nuclear talks with Iran next week, though he doubted Iran’s willingness to restart its nuclear efforts.
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