Pentagon: Airstrikes caused limited disruption to Iran's nuclear program, delaying progress by several months
New US intelligence report states that Iran nuclear program was delayed just several months following the recent US airstrike on Iran, despite assertions by the president Donald Trump that it was "completely obliterated," according to two sources who are familiar with the initial results.
The first assessment, which was prepared by the Defense Intelligence Agency report on Monday, is in direct opposition to Trump Iran claims that were made by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the destruction of Iran nuclear sites. The sources, who spoke in anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, claimed that even though the major sites like Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were badly damaged but they weren't completely destroyed.
White House rejects intel report
The White House rejected the report and called it "flat-out wrong." Press secretary Karoline Leavitt has defended the mission and said "This leak clearly is aimed to discredit the president Trump and the courageous pilots who conducted an unintentionally successful strike.
Iran could have shifted in the direction of enriched uranium prior to the strike.
The report also discovered that a large portion of Iran's stash of highly Iran enriched uranium that could be used in the construction of the weapons of mass destruction, were relocated prior to that of the US strikes. The government believes it could have been moved to other secret nuclear sites within Iran.
Initial assessment suggests damage that is not as severe.
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was able to base its conclusions on an initial assessment of damage by US Central Command, which manages American forces in the Middle East. It suggests the president Trump may have exaggerated the extent of damage when he claimed that Iran's nuclear facilities had been "obliterated."
Trump declared "total destruction" of Iranian facilities
In a live speech on Saturday night following the strike, Trump claimed the US have completely destroyed Iran's enrichment facilities in Natanz, Fordow (which is deep underground) and Isfahan in which the material was kept.
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