Trump’s strikes on Iran set again nuclear program by months, preliminary intel evaluation finds

An preliminary categorised evaluation discovered the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear amenities set again Tehran’s nuclear program by a matter of months, in line with three sources acquainted with its contents.

The evaluation, produced by the Protection Intelligence Company, the Pentagon’s navy intelligence wing, mentioned the strikes induced the entrances to 2 nuclear enrichment amenities, together with Fordo, to be sealed off. Resumption of the enrichment program could also be decided by how lengthy it takes Iran to clear the entrances and make repairs to electrical and water provides, two sources acquainted with the report’s findings mentioned.

The DIA evaluation additionally signifies a few of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was moved earlier than the strikes, one of many sources mentioned.

Officers acquainted with the report cautioned that it was an early evaluation that might change as extra data turns into obtainable concerning the websites. It was not instantly clear at what confidence degree the judgments included within the report had been made.

A whole battle harm evaluation remains to be being assembled, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees Gen. Dan Caine mentioned on Sunday at a press availability.

“Remaining battle harm will take a while, however preliminary battle harm assessments point out that every one three websites sustained extraordinarily extreme harm and destruction,” Caine mentioned.

President Trump mentioned in an deal with to the nation following the strikes that “Iran’s nuclear enrichment amenities have been utterly and completely obliterated.” 

The U.S. Air Pressure dropped a number of 30,000-pound bombs on the Fordo uranium enrichment facility early Sunday morning native time. However the DIA evaluation discovered the positioning’s enrichment infrastructure — which is positioned lots of of toes beneath a mountain — is so deep underground that it stays largely intact, one supply mentioned.

The evaluation offers a variety of prospects for a way lengthy it’s going to take for Iran to regain entry to the underground amenities and resume their work, starting from a number of months to lower than a yr, the supply instructed CBS Information. The supply added that Trump administration officers had been warned previous to the strike that this was a potential consequence.

The evaluation was primarily based on satellite tv for pc imagery and indicators intelligence, which is gleaned from the communications of Iranian officers, one of many sources mentioned.

Present and former nationwide safety officers have expressed considerations that leaving Iran with any residual nuclear capabilities — together with entry to uranium already enriched to 60% and dealing centrifuges — might intensify and speed up the regime’s willpower to create a working weapon.

A few of the particulars contained within the DIA evaluation had been beforehand reported by CNN.

The White Home has pushed again on the findings. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to as the evaluation “flat-out fallacious” and mentioned it was leaked “by an nameless, low-level loser within the intelligence neighborhood.” 

“The leaking of this alleged evaluation is a transparent try to demean President Trump, and discredit the courageous fighter pilots who carried out a superbly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program,” Leavitt mentioned. “Everybody is aware of what occurs while you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs completely on their targets: complete obliteration.”

Mr. Trump blasted experiences on the DIA evaluation in a Reality Social submit, writing, “THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED!”

The Pentagon additionally stood by Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s prior declare that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

“The influence of these bombs is buried below a mountain of rubble in Iran; so anybody who says the bombs weren’t devastating is simply attempting to undermine the President and the profitable mission,” Hegseth mentioned in a press release.

In an interview with Fox Information’ “The Ingraham Angle,” Mr. Trump’s Center East envoy Steve Witkoff referred to as the discharge of the DIA report “treasonous.” He mentioned “we all know for a truth” that the Natanz web site was destroyed, and mentioned of the Fordo strike, “there is not any doubt that it was obliterated.”

Witkoff additionally mentioned “it is going to be nearly inconceivable for them to resurrect that program,” including, “it’s going to take a interval of years.”

A categorised briefing for Congress on the administration’s actions in Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled. Senate lawmakers are as an alternative to be briefed by high intelligence and navy officers on Thursday, one congressional aide acquainted with the plan instructed CBS Information. The same briefing for the Home might be held on Friday, in line with Home Speaker Mike Johnson. 

Mr. Trump ordered strikes Saturday on Iran’s Fordo and Natanz uranium enrichment websites, in addition to a nuclear analysis facility in Isfahan. The operation — carried out with B-2 bombers and submarine-launched cruise missiles — added to a greater than weeklong Israeli marketing campaign in opposition to Iranian nuclear and navy websites, drawing Iranian counterattacks. A ceasefire between Israel and Iran took impact Tuesday and seems to be holding.

The strikes had been aimed toward stymying Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has boosted its stockpile of extremely enriched uranium in current months, prompting considerations it was advancing towards a weapon. 

American intelligence companies have assessed Iran is just not at the moment constructing a nuclear weapon. On the identical day that Mr. Trump licensed strikes Saturday, one U.S. company assessed that Iran might make a nuclear weapon in as little as three to eight months, however there was no indication that the nation’s Supreme Chief had licensed an effort to take action, CBS Information has reported. Different U.S. intelligence companies have mentioned Iran would want a minimal of six to eighteen months to create a weapon they may ship with success. 

However Israel has alleged Iran is “racing in direction of a nuclear bomb,” and Mr. Trump mentioned final week he believed Iran was “very near having one.” Iran has insisted its nuclear program is peaceable.

Eleanor Watson,

Alan He and

Cristina Corujo

contributed to this report.