The debate in the United States regarding the extent of damage inflicted on Iranian nuclear facilities by American strikes during the conflict between Israel and Iran last June has resurfaced. Meanwhile, the Iranian president acknowledged security breaches that occurred during the war.
According to NBC News, citing both current and former U.S. officials with insider knowledge, a new American assessment concluded that the military strikes predominantly impacted only one of the three Iranian nuclear sites, with the other two sustaining significantly less damage.
The network’s report mentioned that the assault on the Fordow nuclear facility succeeded in delaying its uranium enrichment capabilities by up to two years. However, the other two facilities did not suffer the same level of impairment.
While the attacks may have weakened these sites enough to permit Iran to resume enrichment in the coming months if desired, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated to the network: “As the president and experts have confirmed, the Midnight Hammer operation completely dismantled Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”
Shawn Barnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, told NBC that former President Donald Trump “was clear, and the American public knows that the Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz were entirely obliterated.”
An initial assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency in June suggested that the strikes might have only delayed the Iranian nuclear program for a few months; however, officials in the Trump administration deemed this evaluation unreliable and favored intelligence reports claiming that the nuclear program had been significantly harmed.
In related developments, Iranian President Masoud Bezhakian admitted publicly for the first time yesterday that there were security failures in the war against Israel. During a cabinet meeting in Tehran, he stated, “We must analyze and address the security shortcomings that became evident during the conflict,” as reported by Iran’s press.
Throughout the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, numerous high-ranking Iranian military leaders were killed in their private residences.
Additionally, targets that were considered relatively unknown were also attacked. Experts believe such strikes would not have been possible without internal information. Speculation has been rising for several weeks regarding extensive collaboration between certain elements of the Iranian security apparatus and the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad. Several individuals have been arrested on charges of espionage for Mossad, and Iran has executed a number of people convicted of cooperating with Israel.
Regarding Iran
In contrast, Israeli police and the internal security agency (Shin Bet) announced yesterday that an Israeli soldier has been charged with spying for Iran in exchange for money.
The statement indicated that the unnamed soldier sent videos to Iranian contacts showing intercepted missiles in the air and the locations hit by Iranian missile fire during the conflict.
This news emerged just one day after Israel launched an unconventional nationwide media campaign warning citizens against spying for Iran. The advertisements stated that individuals who accepted money from Iran for information could face prison sentences of up to 15 years.