Trump's Bombing Probably Set Iran's Nuclear Program Back By Mere Months, Report Says

The White House issued a snarky comment saying the assessment was leaked by an "anonymous, low-level loser."

President Donald Trump’s strikes likely did not “obliterate” Iranian nuclear facilities as he claims they did. Rather, the damage was limited due to the sheer depth of the facilities, according to an initial assessment by U.S. intelligence.

Citing four unnamed people familiar with the assessment, CNN was first to report that Saturday’s bombings did not destroy the core components of Iran’s nuclear program, likely setting it back by only a few months. Other outlets subsequently confirmed the report, similarly citing unnamed officials because the intelligence assessment is still classified.

The strikes appear to have collapsed the entrances to the facilities, but Iran’s nuclear resources are buried deep underground in the sides of mountains, beneath layers of concrete.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back hard on the suggestion that Trump is incorrect about the destruction.

She wrote on X, “This alleged ‘assessment’ is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community.”