Trump rejects leaked intel that says US strikes did not destroy Iran's nuclear programme
AN EARLY INTELLIGENCE assessment found that the US military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of Tehran's nuclear programme, and likely only set it back by months.
While over a dozen bombs were dropped on two of the nuclear facilities, the Fordo Fuel Enrichment plant and the Natanz Enrichment Complex, they did not fully eliminate the sites' centrifuges and highly enriched uranium, CNN reported.
The strikes sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings, according to the report.
The assessment was produced by the Defence Intelligence Agency – the Pentagon's intelligence arm – and is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by the US Central Command after the US strikes.
The report by the Defence Intelligence Agency estimated that the programme was delayed less than six months, the New York Times said in another report.
Trump has rejected this.
In a post on Truth Social the US president said 'THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED!'.
Iran's underground nuclear enrichment site at Fordo.
PA
PA
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previously confirmed the authenticity of the assessment but said it was 'flat-out wrong'.
Advertisement
Leavitt responded to the reports on social media: 'The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran's nuclear program.'
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared a 'historic victory' against Iran, despite the leaked US intelligence report.
Netanyahu, in an address to the nation after the ceasefire, announced that 'we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project'.
'And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,' he said.
Israel had said its bombing campaign, which began on 13 June, was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.
Israel's military said that its strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme 'by years'.
After Trump angrily berated both sides for early violations of the truce yesterday, Iran announced it would respect the terms of the deal if Israel did the same, while Israel said it had refrained from further strikes.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, but that his country would continue to 'assert its legitimate rights' to the peaceful use of atomic energy.
'Everyone is tired'
Some Israelis welcomed the prospect of a truce.
'Everyone is tired. We just want to have some peace of mind,' said Tel Aviv resident Tammy Shel. 'For us, for the Iranian people, for the Palestinians, for everyone in the region.'
In Iran, people remained uncertain whether the peace would hold.
Related Reads
Israel says 'campaign against Iran not over' after Iranian president announces 'end of 12-day war'
Watch: Trump says Israel and Iran 'don't know what the f**k they're doing'
Amir, 28, fled from Tehran to the Caspian Sea coast and told AFP by phone, 'I really don't know… about the ceasefire but honestly, I don't think things will return to normal.'
Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 610 civilians and wounded more than 4,700, according to the health ministry.
A damaged apartment in Tehran, Iran.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 28 people, according to official figures and rescuers.
The international community reacted with cautious optimism to the truce.
Saudi Arabia and the European Union welcomed Trump's announcement, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hoped 'that this will be a sustainable ceasefire'.
But French President Emmanuel Macron warned there was an 'increased' risk that Iran would attempt to enrich uranium secretly following the strikes on its nuclear sites.
After the truce was announced, Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said Israel's focus would now shift back to Gaza.
The Israeli opposition, the Palestinian Authority and the main group representing the families of Israeli hostages all called for a Gaza truce to complement the Iran ceasefire.
With reporting from Andrew Walsh
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump defends US strikes on Iran as intelligence assessment stirs debate
President Donald Trump has insisted that US strikes delivered a crushing blow to Iran's nuclear programme despite a preliminary American intelligence assessment suggesting that the assault inflicted only a marginal setback. 'This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop,' Mr Trump said as his administration deployed a phalanx of top officials to defend his claims that Iran's nuclear programme was 'completely and fully obliterated'. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the leaked intelligence assessment, which said Iran suffered a delay of only a few months, was 'preliminary' and 'low confidence'. President Donald Trump speaks during a media conference at the end of the Nato summit as secretary of state Marco Rubio, right, and defence secretary Pete Hegseth listen, in The Hague, Netherlands (Alex Brandon/AP) US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the officials who disclosed the findings are 'professional stabbers'. The White House pointed to a statement from the Israel Atomic Energy Commission that said Iran faced a setback of 'many years'. Drawing reliable conclusions about the impact of the US strikes is difficult, making the issue a breeding ground for competing claims that could determine how American voters view Mr Trump's risky decision to join Israel's attacks on Iran. Also at stake are Mr Trump's next steps in the Middle East, where diplomatic efforts could be required to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program. Iran maintains that its atomic ambitions are for peaceful purposes, while US and Israeli leaders have described the country's nuclear programme as the precursor to obtaining a nuclear weapon. One of the targets of the US attack was Fordo, where nuclear infrastructure is buried deep underground. Damage at Fordo enrichment facility after strikes in Iran (Maxar Technologies via AP) The Israeli commission said in a statement that the bombing 'rendered the enrichment facility inoperable'. The statement was distributed by the White House and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other parts of Iran's military nuclear programme, have 'set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years', the statement said. In addition, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera that there was significant damage from US bombers. 'Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure,' he said. The episode has triggered some of Mr Trump's longstanding vendettas against leaks and intelligence officials, who he has often viewed as a part of a 'deep state' dedicated to undermining his agenda. He also lashed out at media outlets that reported on the classified assessment, describing them as 'scum' and 'disgusting'. President Donald Trump dismissed media reports (Piroschka Van De Wouw, Pool Photo via AP) Mr Trump said questioning the effectiveness of the strikes was disrespectful to the military, which flew stealth bombers halfway around the world to attack the nuclear facilities with weapons designed to penetrate deep underground. The reports, he said, were 'very unfair to the pilots, who risked their lives for our country'. One critical question is whether enriched uranium, which could be developed into fuel for a nuclear bomb, was moved out of facilities before the US strikes. 'I believe they didn't have a chance to get anything out, because we acted fast,' Mr Trump said. He added that 'it's very hard to move that kind of material, and very dangerous'. Classified briefings for legislators, originally scheduled for Tuesday, are now expected to take place on Thursday and Friday.
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Watch: NATO chief calls Donald Trump 'daddy' in bizarre exchange
The Secretary General of NATO has raised eyebrows after he called US President Donald Trump 'daddy' in a meeting about the Israel-Iran conflict. Mr Trump declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran following 12 days of exchanges over Iran's reported nuclear progress, which was broken just over an hour later when the two countries began firing missiles at each other again. After Mr Trump said that both countries 'don't know what the f**k they're doing,' the fragile ceasefire has held for now; with him speaking on the conflict at a NATO summit with Secretary General Mark Rutte. 'Sometimes daddy has to use strong language.' Nato's secretary general Mark Rutte referred to US President Donald Trump as 'daddy' when discussing the Israel-Iran conflict at the summit in The Hague. — Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 25, 2025 After comparing Israel and Iran to 'two kids in a schoolyard,' Mr Trump said 'they fight like hell, you can't stop em. Let em fight for about two to three minutes, then it's easy to stop them.' However, the exchange took a weird turn when Mr Rutte said 'and then daddy [Mr Trump] has to sometimes use strong language,' referring to Mr Trump swearing on live television. The 'daddy' comment raised eyebrows on Twitter (X), with one person commenting 'Is cringe a new component of NATO offensive capabilities?' The Secretary General of NATO has raised eyebrows after he called US President Donald Trump 'daddy' in a meeting about the Israel-Iran conflict. Pic:'This is genuinely nauseating,' another wrote, while another tweeted ''daddy'?? What the actual HELL is going on!? NATO Chief just called Trump 'daddy' on camera and people are losing it!' Israel began launching fresh missiles at Iran, claiming that the country violated the ceasefire that US President Trump announced on Truth Social in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The ceasefire lasted only a few hours, before the exchanges began again. After telling Israel 'DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS [sic],' on Truth Social, Mr Trump addressed the media, where he said both countries were violating the ceasefire, and telling Israel to 'calm down' — before saying that both countries don't know 'what the f**k they're doing.' US president Donald Trump said that Israel and Iran 'don't know what the f**k they're doing' after an hours old ceasefire was broken. Pic: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images 'There was one rocket that I guess was fired overboard after the time limit and now Israel is going out. These guys [have] got to calm down,' Mr Trump said. 'I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal. They didn't have to unload. 'We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing.'
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump affirms his commitment to Nato's Article 5 pledge for mutual defence
US President Donald Trump has affirmed his commitment to the Nato alliance's mutual defence guarantee as he attended its summit in the Netherlands. Before landing in the Netherlands on Tuesday, Mr Trump cast doubt on whether the US would abide by Article 5 of the Nato treaty, which calls on all members to defend one another in case of an attack. But on Wednesday, the US president said he stood with that promise. Front row left to right, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a group photo of Nato heads of state and government at the Nato summit in The Hague, Netherlands (Geert Vanden Wi 'That's why I'm here,' Mr Trump said as he met with Dick Schoof, the prime minister of the Netherlands. 'Why would I be here?' Meanwhile, the alliance on Wednesday enacted one of the Republican president's chief priorities: a pledge by Nato member countries to increase, sometimes significantly, how much they spend on their defence. 'I've been asking them to go up to 5% for a number of years,' Mr Trump said earlier on Wednesday as he met with Mark Rutte, the alliance's secretary general. 'I think that's going to be very big news.' The 32 leaders endorsed a final summit statement saying: 'Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence- and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations.' Spain had already officially announced that it cannot meet the target, and others have voiced reservations, but the investment pledge includes a review of spending in 2029 to monitor progress and reassess the security threat posed by Russia. The boost in spending follows years of Mr Trump's complaints that other countries were not paying their fair share as part of an alliance created as a bulwark against threats from the former Soviet Union. Most Nato countries, with the key exception of Spain, appeared motivated to bolster their own defences not just by Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine but also, perhaps, to placate Mr Trump. 🆕 NATO Allies have agreed to invest 5% of their GDP annually in defence. A substantial commitment in response to significant threats to our security#NATOsummit — NATO (@NATO) June 25, 2025 As a candidate in 2016, Mr Trump suggested that as president he would not necessarily heed the alliance's mutual defence guarantees outlined in Article 5 of the Nato treaty. In March this year, he expressed uncertainty that Nato would come to the United States' defence if needed, though the alliance did just that after the September 11 2001 attacks. On Tuesday, he told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to The Hague for the summit that whether he is committed to Article 5 'depends on your definition'. 'There's numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right?' Mr Trump said. 'But I'm committed to being their friends.' He signalled that he would give a more precise definition of what Article 5 means to him once he was at the summit. New Hampshire senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, who travelled to The Hague and met with several foreign leaders at the summit, said other countries raised 'understandable questions' about the US commitment to the alliance, 'certainly given President Trump's past statements'. 'We were very strong and reassuring everyone that we are committed to Nato, we are committed to Article 5, we are committed to maintaining troops on the Eastern flank,' said Ms Shaheen, who represented the US Senate with Democratic senator Chris Coons of Delaware. From right, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth, secretary of state Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump during a meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte at the Nato summit in The Hague, Netherlands (Piroschka Van De Wouw, Pool Photo via AP) Mr Trump also vented to reporters before leaving Washington about the actions by Israel and Iran after his announced ceasefire – although on Monday, he said the ceasefire was 'very good'. After Mr Trump arrived in the Netherlands, news outlets, including The Associated Press, reported that a US intelligence report suggested in an early assessment that Iran's nuclear programme had been set back only a few months by weekend strikes and was not 'completely and fully obliterated', as Mr Trump had said. But on Wednesday morning, Mr Trump and other senior cabinet officials vigorously pushed back on the assessment, and defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the administration was launching an investigation into who disclosed those findings to reporters. 'That hit ended the war,' Mr Trump said. Drawing comparisons to the atomic bombings from the US during the Second World War, he added: 'I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima. I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki. But that was essentially the same thing. That ended that war.' The White House has not said which other world leaders Mr Trump would meet with one on one while in The Hague, but the US president said during his meeting with Mr Rutte that he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Wednesday.
