RASC News Agency: Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of a “complete victory” in the recent military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, both American and Israeli military sources have presented a more cautious assessment, suggesting that while the Fordow facility suffered significant damage, it was not entirely destroyed. According to a report by The New York Times, citing several U.S. and Israeli officials, preliminary intelligence indicates that Iran’s underground Fordow facility considered one of the most fortified nuclear sites in the country sustained considerable structural damage during the strike. However, parts of the complex reportedly remain intact.
These assessments appear to contradict President Trump’s public statement following the operation, in which he claimed the strike on Fordow was “completely successful” and that the facility had been “entirely obliterated.” Israeli officials familiar with the operation told the Times that it is likely Iran had relocated some critical equipment, including sensitive materials such as enriched uranium, prior to the strike. A senior U.S. official echoed this possibility, noting that while Fordow has been “taken offline,” it has not been completely eliminated. “Even 12 bunker-busting bombs were not enough to fully demolish the facility,” the official was quoted as saying.
The U.S. assault involved B-2 stealth bombers deploying at least seven 13-ton heavy bombs designed specifically to penetrate underground structures. Other major nuclear sites, including Natanz and Isfahan, were also targeted in the operation. General Dan Keane, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his first official remarks after the strike, stated that all three targeted sites had sustained “severe damage.” However, he added that it remains too early to determine the full impact on Iran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirmed that Iranian experts are currently assessing the extent of the damage inflicted by the strikes.
Satellite imagery released shortly after the attack by the U.S. company Planet Labs shows signs of explosions, craters, and surface disruptions near the Fordow facility. However, detailed technical evaluations of the direct consequences remain unavailable. Mick Mulroy, a former official at both the Pentagon and the CIA, estimated that the strike could set back Iran’s nuclear weapons program by two to five years, while emphasizing the need for further technical analysis in the coming days. While the White House and Pentagon maintain that the operation was a strategic success, military analysts have cautioned against drawing definitive conclusions until comprehensive evaluations are completed regarding the long-term damage to Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
