Washington, DC [US], June 25 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday fiercely criticized CNN and The New York Times for publishing reports suggesting that recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites failed to inflict lasting damage. Trump dismissed the reports as “fake news” and accused the two outlets of attempting to downplay what he called “one of the most successful military strikes in history.”
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY. THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED! BOTH THE TIMES AND CNN ARE GETTING SLAMMED BY THE PUBLIC!”
Trump doubled down on his earlier assertions that the US military had “completely destroyed” Iran’s nuclear capabilities during Operation Midnight Hammer, a coordinated assault on June 22 targeting key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
However, a report from CNN, citing seven sources briefed on preliminary assessments by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), paints a different picture. The intelligence reportedly indicates that the strikes caused only a temporary disruption, potentially setting Iran’s nuclear program back by a few months at most. The assessment suggests that much of the core infrastructure—especially Iran’s deeply buried uranium enrichment facilities—remains largely intact.
According to the CNN report, while above-ground components like power stations and uranium metal conversion buildings were heavily damaged, Iran had likely relocated enriched uranium stockpiles and safeguarded centrifuges in protected underground bunkers. US B-2 bombers reportedly dropped over a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs, but even those weapons were unable to fully neutralize the deeply buried structures.
Israeli intelligence, which conducted its own assessments following its pre-strike campaign, also reported less damage than anticipated, particularly at the Fordow site. While earlier optimistic projections suggested the combined US-Israeli strikes might set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back by up to two years, newer evaluations are more conservative.
Despite these contrasting reports, Trump remained resolute in his claims. In an earlier post, he declared, “IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!” referring to the three sites hit during the operation.
The debate over the effectiveness of the airstrikes comes amid ongoing tension in West Asia. Although a ceasefire has been brokered between Iran and Israel, sporadic violations have continued. Both Trump and Israeli officials maintain that any further aggression would warrant a swift and overwhelming response.
While Trump has emphasized the mission’s success, US military and intelligence agencies appear to be taking a more measured view, assessing both the strategic impact and potential consequences of the strikes. (ANI)
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