Trump Administration Insists U.S. Airstrikes Severely Damaged Iran's Nuclear Program

The Trump Administration has vehemently denied allegations that the recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were ineffective in achieving their intended destruction. This response comes after various reports and assessments questioned the success of the strikes.

President Trump initially asserted that the deployment of 14 30,000-pound bombs had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program. However, subsequent assessments from the Defense Intelligence Agency indicated that the strikes caused only limited damage, contradicting the president's claims. The administration, in a statement to the U.N. Security Council, described the strikes as having "degraded" Iran's nuclear program, a more measured description than Trump's earlier assertions of total obliteration.

The discrepancy between Trump's statements and the intelligence assessments has sparked debate. The early findings from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested that the strikes had only set back Iran's nuclear program by several months, rather than completely destroying it. Trump, however, remained steadfast in his claims, stating that "monumental damage was done to all nuclear sites in Iran" and that the strikes were a "spectacular military success." He called on Tehran to make a peace deal quickly, warning of further attacks if Iran did not comply.

Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine also confirmed severe damage at the facilities but did not use the term "obliteration," stating that "initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." The administration's goal appears to be containing the conflict and preventing an all-out war with Iran, while also insisting that Tehran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. Officials have expressed hope that Iran will return to the negotiating table, although there is uncertainty about Iran's response to the strikes.

The administration's refutation of the claims that the strikes failed to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities underscores the ongoing tension and the complex nature of the conflict. The administration's statements and the intelligence assessments highlight the challenges in achieving a clear and definitive outcome in the face of conflicting reports and political rhetoric. The White House and the Department of Defense have strongly refuted claims that the United States failed to destroy an Iranian nuclear facility. Earlier, an intelligence assessment stated that the U.S. airstrike on Iran did not destroy its nuclear facility. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt stated on the social platform X that the report was leaked by an anonymous individual from the intelligence community and said, "When fourteen 30,000-pound bombs hit the target with precision, the result is only one - total destruction." U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegeseth stated, "Based on the information we have, our bombing operation destroyed Iran's ability to manufacture nuclear weapons." Trump has retweeted Hegeseth's related comments on his social platform "Truth Social."