Unveiling the Nuclear Games: U.S. Strike on Iran, Delayed but Not Defeated
U.S. offensive thwarted Iran's acquisition of uranium prior to attack
The control over the narrative has been a hot potato ever since the U.S. military barrage on Iranian nuclear infrastructures: Could the U.S. eradicate Iran's nuclear aspirations once and for all, or merely set their program back? Trump's spokesperson is challenging the latter notion.
The White House has dismissed rumors that Iran might have shifted its enriched uranium before the U.S. attacks on its nuclear facilities. "I can assure you that the United States had no insight that enriched uranium was transferred prior to the attacks," declared Karoline Leavitt, the spokesperson for U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News. Such reports, she rebuffed, are "erroneous."
Politics Trump vs. CNN: The Battle Heats Up Trump claimed on Tuesday that the US air raids had left the targeted sites "buried under miles of debris," countering reports suggesting the attacks had merely delayed Iran's nuclear ambitions by a few months. B-2 stealth bombers and submarines were among the U.S. weapons unleashed on Iranian facilities over the weekend, a campaign Trump dubbed a "spectacular military triumph."
US media outlets reported on Tuesday, citing a preliminary U.S. intelligence report, that the attacks had only slowed down Iran's nuclear program and that Iranian centrifuges and stocks of enriched uranium remained largely intact. The entrances to some facilities were blocked, but underground buildings were left unscathed.
IAEA Stymied
Still, Trump maintained on Wednesday, during the NATO summit in The Hague, that the Iranian nuclear facilities were "completely" destroyed. He announced on his Truth Social platform that his defense minister, Pete Hegseth, would hold a press conference that day at 2 p.m. CEST to "vindicate the honor of our extraordinary American pilots."
Politics Legal Grey Areas Speculation abounds regarding the true state of Iran's nuclear facilities. CIA Director John Ratcliffe disclosed findings from a "reliable" source pointing to the "destruction" of "key" Iranian nuclear installations that would take years to reconstruct.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, echoed the uncertainty. Due to hostilities, the IAEA has been unable to inspect Iranian nuclear stocks since their last visit on June 10—three days before the onset of the Israeli attacks. Grossi noted on French television that Iranian highly enriched uranium might not have been lost or hidden.
Truce Taking Effect
The IAEA estimates that Iran retains approximately 408 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, a quantity sufficient for at least nine nuclear bombs upon further enrichment to 90%. Israel launched a "preemptive" massive attack on Iran on June 13, citing Iran's rapid nuclear and missile advancements. Iran responded with relentless attacks on Israel, and the U.S. intervened on June 20. A ceasefire between Israel and Iran went into effect on Tuesday.
Politics "Then there was a monumental upheaval" A former bomber pilotexplained the intricacies of the Iranian mission. While the U.S. air raids did significantly disrupt Iran's nuclear program, they have not completely eradicated it.
Source: ntv.de, jog/AFP
- USA
- Iranian nuclear program
- Iran
- Donald Trump
- Military operations
- The debate around the effectiveness of the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities continues, with Trump claiming a "spectacular military triumph" while media reports suggest only a delay in Iran's nuclear ambitions.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been hindered from inspecting Iranian nuclear stocks due to hostilities, leaving the true state of Iran's nuclear program shrouded in uncertainty.
