Initial military assessments of the buried nuclear site in Iran contrast with President Trump's statement regarding the recent strike there.
Following overnight strikes on Iran, President Trump declared the operation a “success” on Sunday, asserting that Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities were “completely and totally obliterated.” However, these claims are met with more cautious evaluations from both U.S. and Israeli military officials.
The Israeli military, in its preliminary analysis, reported that the heavily fortified nuclear site at Fordo sustained serious damage but was not completely destroyed. According to two Israeli officials familiar with the situation, it appears that Iran had moved equipment, including uranium, from the site prior to the strike.
A senior U.S. official corroborated that the Fordo facility was not destroyed but sustained significant damage, effectively taking it “off the table.” The official noted that even the use of 12 bunker-busting bombs could not fully demolish the site.
Ongoing damage assessments by Israel and the United States have yet to yield final conclusions, with officials speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of intelligence matters.
The U.S. strikes targeted three nuclear sites, deploying 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on Fordo, which is considered Iran's most critical nuclear facility.
During a briefing on Sunday morning, top Pentagon officials echoed President Trump's claims of success while emphasizing that final assessments would require more time. Gen. Dan Caine, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that initial evaluations showed severe damage to all three sites but noted it was premature to determine whether Iran retained any nuclear capability.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated at a news conference that the country was currently “calculating the damages” caused by the strike.
The Israeli assessment was based on satellite imagery and aerial photography of the Fordo site, along with intelligence monitoring. New satellite images taken shortly after the U.S. strikes revealed damage and potential entry holes from the bombs, showing changes in the ground's appearance and dust near the strike locations.
The Israelis are also analyzing satellite imagery from days prior to the strikes, which they believe indicates that Iran was moving uranium and equipment from the Fordo facility. Additional satellite images from Maxar Technologies showed 16 cargo trucks near an entrance, suggesting preparations for a potential strike.
Mick Mulroy, a former Pentagon official and CIA officer, commented on the strike, stating that the type and amount of munitions used could potentially set back Iran's nuclear weapon program by two to five years. He added that a comprehensive battle damage assessment would be conducted in the coming days for a more accurate evaluation.
Reporting contributions were made by additional sources.