Israel’s assertion that Iran was nearing the capability to build a nuclear weapon sparked the conflict, which began with Israeli Defense Forces launching strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program and targeting key figures in Iran’s military and nuclear programs on the night of June 12–13.
Over the past 12 days, Israel has claimed responsibility for the deaths of several high-profile Iranian nuclear scientists.
In response, President Trump authorized a major U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear sites, deploying a fleet of B-2 bombers to drop 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs each weighing 30,000 pounds on two heavily fortified underground facilities. It marked the first combat use of this powerful weapon.
Trump administration officials said Iran’s nuclear weapons program, therefore which they said was just days away from the ability to make a nuclear bomb, was set back years by the US strikes.
Iran’s Nuclear Program: Damaged or destroyed?
The head of Iran’s atomic energy organization said Tuesday it had “planned ahead of time to ensure there would be “no interruption to our nuclear program and industry.
That likely indicates that even though the US used multiple bombs, the Iranians used enough reinforced concrete to keep them from reaching the main hall and destroying the machinery inside.
Informers and intercepted communications will also be vital as they may reveal Iranians discussing the damage and its implications.
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All of that will be constantly update to provide the final assessment with a higher degree of confidence.
All of this means that the work of intelligence agencies in trying to understand Iran’s nuclear programme is going to become even more intense in the coming months.
If the signs are Tehran is secretly reconstituting the programme or racing for a bomb then the conflict is likely to begin again.