Iran’s nuclear capabilities crushed, but regime’s desire for the bomb may persist

Last week, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had bombed Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, stating they were “obliterated.” He emphasized that the combined U.S. and Israeli attacks caused “monumental damage to all nuclear sites in Iran.”

Supporting this, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned in a briefing that the “CIA can confirm that credible intelligence shows Iran’s nuclear program has been significantly impaired by the recent targeted strikes.”

Israeli intelligence sources informed Fox News Digital that the attacks on Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan caused significant and possibly irreversible harm to Iran’s known enrichment capabilities. “We struck at the core of their capabilities,” one official stated. 

donald trump looking concerned on White House lawn

President Donald Trump arrives at the White House on June 9, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

But despite the overwhelming success of the mission, questions remain about what survived – and what might come next. Analysts warn that while Iran’s declared facilities have been largely destroyed, covert elements of the program may still exist, and enriched uranium stockpiles could resurface.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Grossi said in an interview with CBS on Saturday that although “it’s clear that what happened in particular in Fordow, Natanz, [and] Isfahan—where Iran used to have, and still has to some degree, capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion, and enrichment of uranium—has been destroyed to an important degree,” the threat remains. 

Satellite view of Fordow enrichment facility

Maxar Technologies imagery taken on June 29, 2025,

According to the ISIS report, “extensive damage” was confirmed at nearly all major Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, including the destruction of uranium metal conversion plants, fuel fabrication centers, and the IR-40 Arak heavy water reactor. The report noted that the Israeli and U.S. strikes “rendered the Fordow site inoperable,” citing high-resolution satellite imagery of deep bunker penetrations.

Israeli fighter jet

An Israeli fighter jet takes off for strikes in Tehran. (IDF)

Rabinowitz also emphasized that the intelligence picture is still developing in real time. “The Israelis and the Americans are now hard at work to generate the most accurate intelligence picture they can,” she said. “Without having my own sources in the Mossad, I can guarantee the Israelis are monitoring internal Iranian communications, trying to figure out what the Iranians have figured out. As they learn more, so will Israel and the U.S.”

As debate continues over whether the strikes were enough to permanently disable Iran’s nuclear ambitions, analysts agree on one point: Iran’s assumption that it could push forward without consequence is gone.

During a press conference on Friday. Trump was asked if he would bomb Iran’s nuclear program again if it was restarted. He told reporters, “Sure without question.”

You May Also Like

Mother Says Son’s Organs Were Removed Without Consent After Fatal Car Crash - Internewscast Journal

Mother Says Son’s Organs Were Removed Without Consent After Fatal Car Crash

Andrea Mauk was thousands of miles from home when she learned her…
Southern California Flock Surveillance Camera Debate Takes Unexpected Turn as Darth Vader Weighs In - Internewscast Journal

Southern California Flock Surveillance Camera Debate Takes Unexpected Turn as Darth Vader Weighs In

A San Diego public safety meeting took an unexpectedly surreal turn this…
Crypto-Skeptic Rep. Rashida Tlaib Reports Bitcoin Holdings in Savings - Internewscast Journal

Crypto-Skeptic Rep. Rashida Tlaib Reports Bitcoin Holdings in Savings

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a prominent member of the progressive “Squad,” has opposed…
AOC Says She Has Completed Egg Retrieval, Promises More Updates on Fertility Journey - Internewscast Journal

AOC Says She Has Completed Egg Retrieval, Promises More Updates on Fertility Journey

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has finished her egg-freezing process and says she plans…
Beloved Jewish Teacher, Mom of 4 Dies in Long Island Pool Crash - Internewscast Journal

Beloved Jewish Teacher, Mom of 4 Dies in Long Island Pool Crash

A Long Island community is mourning the death of Allison Rahmani, a…
Death Valley National Park Tourist Pierre Formosa Dies After Being Stranded in Triple-Digit Heat - Internewscast Journal

Death Valley National Park Tourist Pierre Formosa Dies After Being Stranded in Triple-Digit Heat

A French tourist died Monday in Death Valley National Park after the…
Supreme Court Lets White House Ballroom Construction Move Forward for Now - Internewscast Journal

Supreme Court Lets White House Ballroom Construction Move Forward for Now

Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way, at least…
Nashville hospital medication error leaves at least 1 patient paralyzed after routine surgery, 3 others hurt

Nashville Hospital Medication Error Paralyzes Patient, Injures 3

HHS decertifies Kentucky organ donor network over near-harvesting incident The Department of…
Ohio Doctor Killed in Alleged Plot by Teen Daughter After Fight - Internewscast Journal

Ohio Doctor Killed in Alleged Plot by Teen Daughter After Fight

An Ohio physician who once authored a study about “the violent and…
Hofstra Professor Faces Firing Over Word Salad Remark - Internewscast Journal

Hofstra Professor Faces Firing Over Word Salad Remark

A Hofstra University political science professor says he has spent nearly a…
California Hawk Fire Triggers Urgent Evacuation Warnings - Internewscast Journal

California Hawk Fire Triggers Urgent Evacuation Warnings

A rapidly spreading wildfire near the Tahoe region has grown to about…
Chicago Bears Fall to Cincinnati Bengals 27-9 in Second Preseason Game at Paycor Stadium - Internewscast Journal

Chicago Bears Fall to Cincinnati Bengals 27-9 in Second Preseason Game at Paycor Stadium

CHICAGO — With Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco and Cincinnati’s other starters and…