Washington: US strikes conducted last month significantly damaged one Iranian nuclear site, leaving the other two with minimal damage and the potential to resume enrichment within months, according to a recent American assessment of the operation's impact. This information was shared with NBC News by five current and former officials familiar with the assessment.
According to Anadolu Agency, the military operation, executed under the Trump administration, targeted Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. The attack on Fordo was noted as a success, setting back Iran's enrichment capabilities there by approximately two years, as per two current officials' accounts.
The other two targeted sites experienced less damage, with degradation limited to a point where nuclear enrichment activities might resume within several months if Iran opts for it. This assessment has been shared with US lawmakers, Department of Defense officials, and allied governments in recent days.
NBC News also uncovered that US Central Command (CENTCOM) had initially planned a more extensive strike on Iran, aiming at three additional sites over several weeks rather than a single night. President Donald Trump was briefed on the plan but declined it to avoid deepening conflicts and high casualty rates, according to insights from a current and a former US official.
The Pentagon, however, refuted the report, with Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell labeling it "false" and criticizing the media's credibility. Parnell's comments on X suggested that the media's reliability is as compromised as the Iranian nuclear facilities.
Despite the Pentagon's denial, officials from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) acknowledged that the US strikes met their "objectives" without confirming the complete destruction of the sites. They noted that the Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) is ongoing, with more detailed assessments expected over time.
At a news conference, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that initial assessments showed severe damage to all three sites during 'Operation Midnight Hammer.' President Trump has consistently stated that Iran's nuclear sites were "obliterated," and Pentagon spokesman Parnell reiterated that Iran's nuclear program was set back by one to two years due to the strikes.