Trump reiterates 'destroying' Iran's nuclear programme as Israel says its 'too early' to asses damages

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Speaking at the Nato Summit in The Hague, Trump reiterated his claims that the US strike on Iran's nuclear sites 'was a devastating attack' which 'knocked them for a loop' read more
US President Donald Trump looks on next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured) at the NATO summit of heads of state and government in The Hague on June 25, 2025. AFP
The Israel Defense Force has now joined the tune of others, saying that it is 'too early' to assess the damages caused by Israeli and US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The development comes after US media reports cited Pentagon intelligence saying that US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities did not 'destroy' them but set them back by a few months.
'We met all the objectives of the operation as defined for us, even better than we thought. But it is still too early to determine, we are investigating the results of the strikes on the different sections of the nuclear program," IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said.
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He also maintained that it is more likely that the strikes set Iran's nuclear programme back by years rather than completely destroying it, as US President Donald Trump claims.
US media have cited people familiar with the Defence Intelligence Agency findings as saying the weekend strikes did not fully eliminate Iran's centrifuges or stockpile of enriched uranium.
'Went through hell'
Meanwhile, the president has slammed media reports , saying that outlets like CNN and the New York Times are spreading 'fake' news.
When asked about what kind of setback Iran's nuclear sites faced following the strikes, Trump said, 'I think basically decades. I think they've had it, they just went through hell… the last thing they want to do is enrich.'
Trump was speaking at the Nato Summit in The Hague. Here, he reiterated his claims that the US strike on Iran's nuclear sites 'was a devastating attack' which 'knocked them for a loop'.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to the leaked intelligence report, emphasising that it was based on a leaker 'telling you what the intelligence says' and characterising it as part of 'a game these people play.' He also stated that the 'conversion facility' required to produce nuclear weapons was taken out and cannot be seen anymore, though he did not disclose the location of the site.
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UN atomic watchdog wants officials back in Iran
The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, has urged inspectors to head back to Iran and re-engage with its leadership.
When asked about reports on Iran's nuclear facilities post US and Israel strikes, Grossi said, 'I don't like this hourglass approach, it's in the eye of the beholder. In any case, the technological knowledge is there, the industrial capacity is there, that no one can deny.'
He added, 'There's a chance for a diplomatic solution, an opening. We shouldn't miss that opportunity. It is not important whether it's two months or three months, we need a solution that will stand the test of time.'