The Central Intelligence Agency has joined the growing chorus of official American and Israeli bodies confirming “severe damage” to the Iranian nuclear project as a result of US and Israeli airstrikes.
“CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran’s Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes,” CIA director John Ratcliffe said in a release by the agency.
“This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.
“CIA continues to collect additional reliably sourced information to keep appropriate decision-makers and oversight bodies fully informed,” the statement continued.
“When possible, we will also provide updates and information to the American public, given the national importance of this matter and in every attempt to provide transparency.”
President Donald Trump likewise confirmed that Iran suffered a major blow to its nuclear development program.
“It was total annihilation and you will see it,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One earlier this week while traveling to the NATO conference at The Hague.
The Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) also confirmed Wednesday that “critical infrastructure” was destroyed in the US airstrike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear development facility.
“The devastating US strike on Fordow destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable,” the IAEC said in a statement published simultaneously by the White House and the Prime Minister’s Office, affirming previous claims by President Donald Trump and cabinet officials.
“The devastating US attack on Fordow destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility unusable,” the IAEC said.
“We estimate that the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli attacks on other components of Iran’s military nuclear program, have set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons for many years,” the Israeli nuclear watchdog said, adding that the achievement “will be maintained if Iran is denied access to nuclear material.”
