According to a CNN report citing four sources briefed on an early intelligence assessment, U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last weekend caused serious aboveground damage but failed to destroy the core components of Iran’s nuclear program. The preliminary analysis from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) suggests the operation may have set back Iran’s program by only a few months, contradicting President Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s enrichment capacity. Officials confirmed Iran’s uranium stockpile remains intact and centrifuges at key sites, including Fordow and Natanz, are largely undamaged.
The White House has dismissed the leaked DIA assessment, calling it “flat-out wrong” and accusing a “low-level loser” of leaking classified information. While Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have praised the strikes as a resounding success, other military and intelligence leaders—such as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine—have cautioned it is too early to determine the full impact. Analysts note that key nuclear infrastructure, particularly deeply buried facilities, may remain operational, and that Iran could rapidly resume its program. Meanwhile, bipartisan briefings to Congress on the operation have been delayed, prompting criticism from lawmakers seeking clarity on the mission’s objectives and outcomes.
