A senior Israeli official warned that Iran might recover enriched uranium buried beneath one of three facilities struck by US forces last month. The official, speaking to US reporters, emphasized that accessing the enriched uranium at Isfahan would be extremely challenging. Furthermore, he stressed that any attempt to do so would likely trigger renewed Israeli strikes.
US Claims of Destruction
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that air and missile strikes in June “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, some US intelligence agencies have adopted a more cautious stance. Iran maintains that it does not seek nuclear weapons, claiming its uranium enrichment serves peaceful purposes.
The unnamed Israeli official shared intelligence suggesting Iran buried much of its enriched uranium at Isfahan, targeted during “Operation Midnight Hammer” on 22 June. Despite the potential for recovery, the official expressed confidence that Israeli or allied forces would likely detect any Iranian efforts.
Impact on Iran’s Nuclear Program
Israel assesses that the strikes have delayed Iran’s nuclear program by two years, though Trump and his administration the strikes completely destroyed the Iranian facilities. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated, “Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities. The entire world is safer thanks to his decisive leadership.”
However, US intelligence reports present a more nuanced view as a leaked preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency report indicated that while the sites at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sustained heavy damage, the strikes did not completely destroy them CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed US lawmakers that the destruction of Iran’s only metallic uranium production facility significantly hindered its nuclear weapon capabilities.
Moreover, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that while the targeted sites were “destroyed to an important degree,” some structures remain intact. He stated, “One cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there.”
In a recent interview, Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that the strikes severely damaged the facilities, limiting access to them, and added that officials cannot yet fully assess the situation.
