CIA director says Iran's nuclear facilities 'destroyed' after report downplayed impact of strikes
The boss of the US spy agency has said recent US strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure caused long-term damage, a day after a leaked report claimed they had had limited impact.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the agency had obtained 'a body of credible evidence' showing that key Iranian nuclear facilities were 'destroyed' in the strikes and would need to be rebuilt 'over the course of years.' It was not clear whether Ratcliffe was offering an official agency assessment or his view of the intelligence.
The strikes, carried out on Saturday, targeted three major sites - Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan - and were intended to wipe out Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Hours after the attack, US president Donald Trump claimed the raid had left Iran's nuclear facilities "completely and fully obliterated", but the leaked preliminary assessment from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Wednesday cast doubt on the extent of the damage. That analysis suggested Iran's programme may only have been set back by a matter of months.
Trump strongly pushed back on the leaked assessment, insisting the strikes had delivered a 'crushing blow' and 'obliterated' Iran's ability to produce a nuclear weapon. 'This was a devastating attack, and it knocked them for a loop,' he said.
The White House, along with director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, echoed Trump's view.
The DIA's final assessment which involves phased evaluations of physical, functional, and systemic damage, could take weeks to complete.
Analysts are relying heavily on satellite imagery, intercepted communications, and intelligence from allies, as US officials are not expected to inspect the sites on the ground.
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