logo
US strikes Iran: How legendary 88-year-old reporter Seymour Hersh scooped that Donald Trump would attack Iranian nuclear sites

US strikes Iran: How legendary 88-year-old reporter Seymour Hersh scooped that Donald Trump would attack Iranian nuclear sites

Time of India22-06-2025
In an age where news breaks on social media feeds faster than newsroom alerts, it wasn't CNN, BBC or The New York Times that first reported the United States' military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
It was Seymour Hersh.
Yes, that Seymour Hersh—the 88-year-old Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter, best known for uncovering the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam and the Abu Ghraib prison abuses in Iraq. And now, in the summer of 2025, the veteran journalist has done it again—beating major media outlets and intelligence briefings by publishing details of the Trump administration's plan to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, nearly 48 hours before the world knew it had actually happened.
The Scoop
On June 19, Hersh published a detailed report via his Substack newsletter, claiming that US B-2 bombers and naval platforms were preparing a "coordinated assault" on Iran's underground nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The piece cited unnamed sources in the intelligence community who warned that the operation was imminent and being conducted with minimal oversight from Congress or America's NATO allies.
At the time, most dismissed it as another speculative post from a journalist long estranged from the legacy media. But by June 22, when US President Donald Trump went on record confirming the strikes—calling the targets 'obliterated'—Hersh had already been vindicated.
The Attack
The strikes, launched late on June 21, targeted three high-profile Iranian nuclear facilities. While initial reports from state media in Iran downplayed the damage, satellite imagery and eyewitness accounts suggested precision airstrikes had indeed hit deep underground bunkers at Fordow and Natanz, as well as key infrastructure in Isfahan.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Yet despite the intensity of the operation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no significant radiation spikes, prompting speculation that either:
Iran had preemptively moved or buried sensitive material, or
The sites were largely non-operational or decoy facilities.
Either way, it challenged Trump's claim of having 'wiped out' Iran's nuclear capability.
Déjà Vu: From Nord Stream to Natanz
Hersh's report bore eerie similarities to his controversial 2023 scoop on the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, which he attributed to US covert operations.
At the time, mainstream outlets largely ignored the piece, but subsequent leaks from German and Nordic investigations lent circumstantial credibility to his claims.
The Iran story followed a similar arc: initial media silence, public disbelief, and then abrupt confirmation—except this time, the stakes involved possible nuclear escalation in the Middle East.
The Media Gap
Hersh's scoop once again spotlights the widening chasm between traditional journalism and independent reporting.
A 2023 study by the Reuters Institute found that 62% of US adults now rely on social media, newsletters, and independent platforms for breaking news—often citing speed, authenticity, and ideological distrust of legacy media.
Hersh, for his part, has long been critical of what he calls the 'lapdog press'—journalists too embedded in officialdom to question military narratives or dig beneath the surface. His latest work only reinforces that critique.
Even defenders of legacy media recognize the challenge. In late 2024, Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, penned a stirring op‑ed titled 'The hard truth: Americans don't trust the news media,' in which he conceded:
'Reality is an undefeated champion. … We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but we are failing on the second requirement.'
Bezos's admission—calling out both accuracy and credibility—served as a tacit acknowledgment that even powerful legacy outlets are circling back to the same core demand: fearless, truthful reporting, just as Hersh delivers time and again.
What Next?
Iran, for now, has not confirmed the full extent of the damage but has vowed to retaliate 'at a time and place of its choosing.' Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump faces minimal political backlash, with key GOP figures framing the strike as a 'preemptive blow' to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.
But the bigger story might be this: Seymour Hersh, nearly nine decades old, once again scooped the world. In an era of TikTok pundits and algorithm-fed outrage, his dogged reliance on old-school sourcing—combined with new-age platforms like Substack—has given him a second act few journalists ever get.
Legacy vs Longevity
While major networks scrambled to confirm what Hersh had already written, one truth remained clear: in the information war, experience still matters. Hersh's longevity in investigative reporting—not in spite of, but because of his outsider status—continues to disrupt the cosy, slow-moving machinery of legacy media. The attack on Iran may or may not spark a wider conflict. But Hersh's scoop has already ignited a different kind of reckoning—one about where we get our news, and who we still trust to tell us the truth.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

First time since US struck Iran, Tehran discusses nuclear programme, but with E3 powers
First time since US struck Iran, Tehran discusses nuclear programme, but with E3 powers

First Post

time2 hours ago

  • First Post

First time since US struck Iran, Tehran discusses nuclear programme, but with E3 powers

Iranian and European diplomats met Friday in Istanbul in the latest drive to unpick the deadlock over Tehran's nuclear program. read more Cars, which are believed to carry European diplomats, enter the Iranian consulate ahead of a meeting with Iranian counterparts for talks over Tehran's nuclear program, in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo) Iranian officials have resumed nuclear discussions with diplomats from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, the first such engagement since Israeli strikes targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure in June. The military action sparked a 12-day conflict, during which the United States also launched airstrikes on several of Iran's nuclear-related facilities, effectively halting ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The European trio, often referred to as the E3 has warned Tehran that sanctions could be reimposed if meaningful progress towards a renewed nuclear agreement is not achieved by the end of August. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The talks, which ended after four hours, centered on the possibility of reimposing sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015 in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program. The return of sanctions, known as a 'snapback' mechanism, 'remains on the table,' according to a European diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks. Ahead of the Istanbul meeting, Iran dismissed proposals to extend the United Nations resolution underpinning the 2015 nuclear accord, which is approaching its expiration. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said afterward that both sides had presented specific ideas on sanctions relief and the nuclear issue. 'While seriously criticising their stances regarding the recent war of aggression against our people, we explained our principled positions, including on the so-called snapback mechanism,' he said. 'It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue." The European countries, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to the 2015 deal - from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018 - which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear programme. A deadline of Oct. 18 is fast approaching when the resolution governing that deal expires. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At that point, all UN sanctions on Iran will be lifted unless the 'snapback' mechanism is triggered at least 30 days before. This would automatically reimpose those sanctions, which target sectors from hydrocarbons to banking and defence. To give time for this to happen, the E3 have set a deadline of the end of August to revive diplomacy. Diplomats say they want Iran to take concrete steps to convince them to extend the deadline by up to six months. It needs to happen in a way that will be empowering and deliver the long term peace and stability that Palestine needs. With inputs from agencies

Iran says it held 'frank' nuclear talks with European powers
Iran says it held 'frank' nuclear talks with European powers

New Indian Express

time2 hours ago

  • New Indian Express

Iran says it held 'frank' nuclear talks with European powers

ISTANBUL: Iranian diplomats said they held "frank and detailed" nuclear talks on Friday with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, who have threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran fails to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors. The meeting in Istanbul was the first since Israel launched an attack on Iran last month targeting key nuclear and military sites, sparking a 12-day war and leading Tehran to pull away from working with the UN watchdog. The European diplomats were seen leaving the Iranian consulate shortly before 1100 GMT after spending several hours inside. Israel's offensive , which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others and in which residential areas and military sites were struck also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April. Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger a so-called "snapback mechanism" under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal that would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran by the end of August. The sanctions trigger expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who attended the talks alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, wrote on X he had used the meeting to criticise the European stance on the 12-day conflict with Israel. He said the snapback mechanism had also been discussed, adding: "It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue."

Iran, European countries resume nuclear talks in Istanbul
Iran, European countries resume nuclear talks in Istanbul

Hans India

time2 hours ago

  • Hans India

Iran, European countries resume nuclear talks in Istanbul

Tehran: Nuclear talks between Iran and the three European countries of France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, began in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday. The Iranian delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told the official news agency IRNA that the talks would be an opportunity for the three European countries to rectify their attitude towards Iran and test their approach to the country's nuclear program, Xinhua news agency reported. Speaking previously at a weekly press conference, Baghaei said the talks would focus on the removal of sanctions and issues related to Tehran's "peaceful" nuclear programme, noting that Iran would present its demands seriously at the upcoming meeting. Since September last year, Iran and the E3 have held six rounds of talks on a range of issues, including Tehran's nuclear programme and the removal of sanctions. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May. Earlier today, Araghchi reiterated Tehran's commitment to uranium enrichment ahead of resumption of talks with the European nations. He also mentioned that Iran would continue its peaceful nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment, stressing the country's inalienable rights under the international law. On June 13, Israel launched a massive airstrike targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites in the Operation named "Rising Lion." A week after, the US carried out strikes at three nuclear sites of Iran, a move Tehran said is a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The US and Israel have repeatedly expressed opposition to Iran's peaceful nuclear enrichment activities. However, Iran has defended its sovereign right in conducting nuclear enrichment for peaceful and civilian purposes. Araghchi expressed Iran's readiness to advance its nuclear programme within a logical and reasonable framework, aiming to build trust with concerned nations. However, he stressed that such trust must be two-way with respect given to Iran's rights to peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment, the Iranian news agency reported.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store