Latest news with #U.S.DefenseIntelligenceAgency
11-07-2025
- Politics
Iran may still have enriched uranium, but nuclear program dismantled: Israeli officials
Senior Israeli officials are acknowledging that some enriched uranium may have survived the powerful U.S. strikes on Iran's key nuclear sites last month. One of the multiple senior Israeli officials involved in the matter told ABC News that Israel has concluded that facilities at Fordo and Natanz were effectively destroyed in the U.S. bombing. But at Isfahan, where the stockpile is believed to be more protected and stored much deeper underground, there's less certainty, and it's possible some of the regime's uranium -- enriched to a near weapons-grade 60% -- survived the attack, according to an official. However, an official stressed that Israel's campaign against the Iranian regime, which began when the Israeli military launched airstrikes on June 12 in what it called "a preemptive strike," was not just about targeting its uranium. Rather, an official said, it was about dismantling Iran's ability to rebuild its internationally scrutinized nuclear program. During the strikes early on in the 12-day war, Israel says it targeted and killed at least nine Iranian scientists involved in the nuclear program. In addition, personnel, infrastructure, command systems and the entire support ecosystem -- from trucking fleets to specialized parts manufacturing -- were all systematically attacked, according to an official. It's believed design archives were likely destroyed and core conversion facilities were rendered unusable, an official said. The assessment by Israel comes amid varying conclusions about the extent of the destruction of the Iranian nuclear program from the U.S. strikes. The New York Times first reported details of the assessment. U.S. President Donald Trump, who ordered " Operation Midnight Hammer" on June 21, said during the weekend of the strikes that all three Iranian nuclear facilities were "completely and totally obliterated" by the operation, which involved the largest B-2 bomber strikes and bunker-busting bombs. An initial assessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency indicated the strike might only have set back Iran's program by months. But intelligence officials in the Trump administration later said that was only a low-confidence preliminary report. Last week, the Pentagon sharpened its assessment, declaring that Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon following the U.S. strike on its nuclear facilities was " closer to two years" away. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear watchdog of the United Nations, said earlier this month that he believed Iran could begin enriching uranium in a matter of months. In addition to concerns about Iran's nuclear program, Israel decided to launch strikes against Iran last month after Israeli intelligence detected a surge in production of ballistic missiles in Iran following Israel's assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut airstrikes last September, according to an Israeli official. If left unchecked, the build-up of missiles -- as many as 300 per month, some the size of buses and able to level entire blocks -- would have become an existential danger within two to three years, an official said. Before launching its strikes on Iran, an official said, Israel did not ask permission from the United States, and if the U.S. hadn't decided to join the effort by striking Iran's nuclear facilities, Israel was prepared to go it alone. That likely would have meant a very different kind of operation, including commandos on the ground -- a much higher cost in terms of lives, an official said.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Israel says Iran could reach enriched uranium at nuclear site hit by U.S.
Israel believes deeply buried stocks of enriched uranium at one Iranian nuclear facility hit by the U.S. military are potentially retrievable, a senior Israeli official said. And the agency that built the U.S. 'bunker buster' bombs dropped on two other nuclear sites said on Thursday (July 10, 2025) that it is still waiting for data to be able to determine if those munitions reached their targets. Both developments widen the views on the damage from last month's strikes, when the United States inserted itself in Israel's war in a bid to eliminate the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its program is peaceful. President Donald Trump is adamant that the U.S. strikes 'obliterated' the three Iranian nuclear facilities it targeted. International assessments and an initial U.S. intelligence assessment have been more measured, with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency saying in a preliminary report that the strikes did significant damage to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites, but did not destroy them. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has since told skeptical U.S. lawmakers that American military strikes destroyed Iran's lone metal conversion facility, a setback to the nuclear program that would take years to overcome, and that the intelligence community assessed that the vast majority of Iran's amassed enriched uranium likely remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo. The White House didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment on Thursday. Much of Iran's enriched uranium is believed deeply buried at the third site, Isfahan, the senior Israeli official said. The U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to target the Fordo and Natanz sites. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to share Israeli assessments that had not been made public. Israel believes Iran's enriched uranium was distributed in the three sites and had not been moved, the Israeli official said. Nuclear and nonproliferation experts have warned that Iranians could have moved the stockpiles somewhere safer as Israeli strikes pounded Iran last month and expectation grew that the U.S. military might join in. The enriched uranium at Isfahan could potentially be retrieved by Iranians but reaching it would take a very difficult recovery effort, the Israeli official said. Mr. Trump and other administration officials have rebuffed suggestions that the June 22 US strikes did anything short of wiping out the nuclear sites. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said they were 'destroyed.' Two officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which spent decades designing the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs specifically to destroy Iran's facilities, said they still did not know yet if the munitions had reached the depths the bombs had been engineered for. Those officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the bombs that had not been previously announced. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published on Monday said the U.S. airstrikes so badly damaged his country's nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction. Mr. Pezeshkian added in the interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iran would be willing to resume cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but cannot yet commit to allowing its inspectors unfettered access to monitor the sites. 'We stand ready to have such supervision,' Mr. Pezeshkian said. 'Unfortunately, as a result of the United States' unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and installations, many of the pieces of equipment and the facilities there have been severely damaged.' Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said late last month that the three Iranian sites with 'capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.' But, he added, because capabilities remain, 'if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.' He said assessing the full damage comes down to Iran allowing in inspectors. 'Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,' Mr. Grossi said.
Hamilton Spectator
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Israel says Iran could reach enriched uranium at a nuclear site hit by US
WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel believes deeply buried stocks of enriched uranium at one Iranian nuclear facility hit by the U.S. military are potentially retrievable, a senior Israeli official said. And the agency that built the U.S. 'bunker buster' bombs dropped on two other nuclear sites said Thursday that it is still waiting for data to be able to determine if those munitions reached their targets. Both developments widen the views on the damage from last month's strikes , when the United States inserted itself in Israel's war in a bid to eliminate the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its program is peaceful. President Donald Trump is adamant that the U.S. strikes 'obliterated' the three Iranian nuclear facilities it targeted. International assessments and an initial U.S. intelligence assessment have been more measured, with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency saying in a preliminary report that the strikes did significant damage to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites, but did not destroy them. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has since told skeptical U.S. lawmakers that American military strikes destroyed Iran's lone metal conversion facility, a setback to the nuclear program that would take years to overcome, and that the intelligence community assessed that the vast majority of Iran's amassed enriched uranium likely remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo. The White House didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment Thursday. Much of Iran's enriched uranium is believed deeply buried at the third site, Isfahan, the senior Israeli official said. The U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to target the Fordo and Natanz sites. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to share Israeli assessments that had not been made public. Israel believes Iran's enriched uranium was distributed in the three sites and had not been moved, the Israeli official said. Nuclear and nonproliferation experts have warned that Iranians could have moved the stockpiles somewhere safer as Israeli strikes pounded Iran last month and expectation grew that the U.S. military might join in. The enriched uranium at Isfahan could potentially be retrieved by Iranians but reaching it would take a very difficult recovery effort, the Israeli official said. Trump and other administration officials have rebuffed suggestions that the June 22 U.S. strikes did anything short of wiping out the nuclear sites. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said they were 'destroyed.' Two officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which spent decades designing the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs specifically to destroy Iran's facilities, said they still did not know yet if the munitions had reached the depths the bombs had been engineered for. Those officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the bombs that had not been previously announced. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the U.S. airstrikes so badly damaged his country's nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction. Pezeshkian added in the interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iran would be willing to resume cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but cannot yet commit to allowing its inspectors unfettered access to monitor the sites. 'We stand ready to have such supervision,' Pezeshkian said. 'Unfortunately, as a result of the United States' unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and installations, many of the pieces of equipment and the facilities there have been severely damaged.' Rafael Grossi , head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said late last month that the three Iranian sites with 'capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.' But, he added, because capabilities remain, 'if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.' He said assessing the full damage comes down to Iran allowing in inspectors. 'Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,' Grossi said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Newsweek
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Israeli Official Issues New Warning About Iran's Nuclear Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Israel believes that enriched uranium stored deep underground at Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility—one of three sites targeted in last month's U.S. airstrikes—may still be retrievable, according to a senior Israeli official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity. "The enriched uranium at Isfahan could potentially be retrieved by Iranians," the official said Thursday. The official cautioned that "reaching it would take a very difficult recovery effort." The Israeli assessment also holds that Iran's stockpiles were spread across Isfahan, Fordo, and Natanz, and had not been moved before the "Operation Midnight Hammer" strikes, despite some nuclear experts suggesting Tehran may have attempted to relocate them as tensions rose and U.S. involvement appeared imminent. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to destroy... Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel's effort to destroy the country's nuclear program. More Associated Press The White House declined to comment on the situation to the Associated Press on Thursday, as questions continue to mount about whether the U.S. mission achieved its intended goal of permanently disabling Iran's nuclear program. The evolving analyses from Israel, U.S. intelligence agencies, and international observers suggest that while damage was indeed inflicted, Iran may yet have the means—or at least the potential—to rebuild. The June 22 strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, marked a bold U.S. intervention into Israel's ongoing conflict with Iran, aimed at crippling Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Trump has repeatedly insisted the attacks "obliterated" the sites, declaring them fully destroyed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that sentiment, calling the facilities "destroyed." However, early assessments from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency offered a more cautious analysis, stating the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sites suffered significant—but not total—destruction. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, defending the operation before skeptical lawmakers, asserted that the U.S. eliminated Iran's only metal conversion facility—an essential part of the nuclear process. Despite these claims, doubts remain about the efficacy of the U.S. munitions used in the strikes. Two officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which developed the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs specifically for hard-to-reach Iranian targets, said Thursday they have yet to confirm whether the bombs reached the intended depth. These officials also spoke on condition of anonymity, revealing that the agency still awaits post-strike data to evaluate bomb performance. Meanwhile, attention has shifted to Isfahan, where U.S. B-2 stealth bombers did not strike, unlike the Fordo and Natanz sites. The Isfahan nuclear site in Iran is known for its role in the conversion of uranium, a key step in the nuclear fuel cycle. Although B-2s were not used for Isfahan, the Pentagon said a U.S. submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets at the Isfahan site. These missiles were likely aimed at different types of targets within the complex compared to those targeted by the B-2s at Fordo and Natanz. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a recent interview with conservative U.S. broadcaster Tucker Carlson, said the strikes had caused such extensive damage that Iranian officials have yet to access the affected nuclear facilities. "Unfortunately, as a result of the United States' unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and installations, many of the pieces of equipment and the facilities there have been severely damaged," Pezeshkian said. He added that Iran is open to resuming cooperation with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but cannot yet guarantee full access to inspectors. Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, stated last month that Iran's facilities "have been destroyed to an important degree." Still, he added a caveat: "If they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again." Grossi emphasized that a full damage assessment depends entirely on Iran allowing inspectors into the sites. "Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there," he said. This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Israel says Iran could reach enriched uranium at a nuclear site hit by US
WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel believes deeply buried stocks of enriched uranium at one Iranian nuclear facility hit by the U.S. military are potentially retrievable, a senior Israeli official said. And the agency that built the U.S. 'bunker buster' bombs dropped on two other nuclear sites said Thursday that it is still waiting for data to be able to determine if those munitions reached their targets. Both developments widen the views on the damage from last month's strikes, when the United States inserted itself in Israel's war in a bid to eliminate the threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its program is peaceful. President Donald Trump is adamant that the U.S. strikes 'obliterated' the three Iranian nuclear facilities it targeted. International assessments and an initial U.S. intelligence assessment have been more measured, with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency saying in a preliminary report that the strikes did significant damage to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites, but did not destroy them. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has since told skeptical U.S. lawmakers that American military strikes destroyed Iran's lone metal conversion facility, a setback to the nuclear program that would take years to overcome, and that the intelligence community assessed that the vast majority of Iran's amassed enriched uranium likely remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo. The White House didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment Thursday. Much of Iran's enriched uranium is believed deeply buried at the third site, Isfahan, the senior Israeli official said. The U.S. used B-2 stealth bombers to target the Fordo and Natanz sites. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to share Israeli assessments that had not been made public. Israel believes Iran's enriched uranium was distributed in the three sites and had not been moved, the Israeli official said. Nuclear and nonproliferation experts have warned that Iranians could have moved the stockpiles somewhere safer as Israeli strikes pounded Iran last month and expectation grew that the U.S. military might join in. The enriched uranium at Isfahan could potentially be retrieved by Iranians but reaching it would take a very difficult recovery effort, the Israeli official said. Trump and other administration officials have rebuffed suggestions that the June 22 U.S. strikes did anything short of wiping out the nuclear sites. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said they were 'destroyed.' Two officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, which spent decades designing the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs specifically to destroy Iran's facilities, said they still did not know yet if the munitions had reached the depths the bombs had been engineered for. Those officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide additional details on the bombs that had not been previously announced. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the U.S. airstrikes so badly damaged his country's nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction. Pezeshkian added in the interview with conservative American broadcaster Tucker Carlson that Iran would be willing to resume cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but cannot yet commit to allowing its inspectors unfettered access to monitor the sites. 'We stand ready to have such supervision,' Pezeshkian said. 'Unfortunately, as a result of the United States' unlawful attacks against our nuclear centers and installations, many of the pieces of equipment and the facilities there have been severely damaged.' Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said late last month that the three Iranian sites with 'capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.' But, he added, because capabilities remain, 'if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.' He said assessing the full damage comes down to Iran allowing in inspectors. 'Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,' Grossi said.
