Donald Trump took to TruthSocial – in his usual all-caps style – declaring that the Fordow nuclear sites in Iran had been ‘OBLITERATED’ in what he called ‘ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY.’
The only problem? Early US intelligence now suggests the attacks carried out with bunker buster bombs, dropped from B-2 jets, did not destroy the nuclear facilities.
Cue the meltdown.
After the assessment, the US president launched into a tirade online and accused both CNN and the New York Times, which reported on the failure, of teaming up ‘in an attempt to demean’ the strikes.
More than a dozen bombs were unleashed on two of the nuclear facilities, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment plant and the Natanz Enrichment Complex, in Iran.
It is now becoming clear that they did not fully eliminate the centrifuges of the sites and highly enriched uranium, CNN said, citing people familiar with the early report made by the Pentagon’s intelligence arm.
In addition, the assault only pushed back Iran’s nuclear programme by one to two months the earliest, it was claimed.
This means that the Islamic Republic could restart its nuclear program in a matter of months, according to the three sources.
The classified assessment is at odds with the statements of both Trump and high-ranking US officials – including defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
Both have said the weekend strikes essentially eliminated Iran’s nuclear program.
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