US Attack On Iranian Nuclear Sites Reportedly Set Tehran Back Only 'A Few Months' — White House Calls Assessment 'Flat-Out Wrong'

The US military’s recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities may not have been as devastating as initially claimed, according to a preliminary US intelligence assessment.

What Happened: The strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear sites last weekend did not completely destroy the core components of Iran’s nuclear program, as per an early US intelligence assessment, reported by CNN on Tuesday. The assessment, produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, suggests that the strikes likely only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months.

“So the (DIA) assessment is that the US set them back maybe a few months, tops,” said a source, according to CNN.

The analysis of the damage and the impact of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions is ongoing. However, the early findings contradict President Donald Trump‘s claims that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.

Two sources familiar with the assessment stated that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed. The intelligence assessed that enriched uranium was moved out of the sites before the US strikes. The White House acknowledged the existence of the assessment but disagreed with its findings.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the assessment as “flat-out wrong” and labeled the anonymous source as a “low-level loser.”

While the U.S. military claimed the operation was an “overwhelming success,” it is still early to have a comprehensive picture of the impact of the strikes. Israel, which had been striking Iranian nuclear facilities before the operation, believes the combined military action set back the Iranian nuclear program by two years.

However, the strikes did not fully eliminate the sites’ centrifuges and highly enriched uranium. The impact was largely restricted to aboveground structures, which were severely damaged, according to the sources.

Despite the ongoing damage assessment, President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth remain bullish about the success of the strikes. However, others, including Republican Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and weapons expert Jeffrey Lewis, agree with the assessment that the strikes did not end Iran’s nuclear program.

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Why It Matters: The strikes followed a warning from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would be “very, very dangerous” for everybody.

The strikes also led to retaliation from Iran, with missiles fired at U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq. Despite the escalating tensions, President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, even as reports of renewed hostilities raised doubts about its durability.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal