US intelligence director says Iran's nuclear program 'severely damaged' in recent strikes
'CIA continues to collect additional reliably sourced information to keep appropriate decision-makers and oversight bodies fully informed,' says John Ratcliffe
HAMILTON, Canada
US intelligence director John Ratcliffe said Wednesday that new information confirms Iran's nuclear program suffered significant damage after recent targeted strikes.
"CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran's Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes," Ratcliffe wrote on X. "This includes new intelligence from an 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.”
He said the CIA "continues to collect additional reliably sourced information to keep appropriate decision-makers and oversight bodies fully informed."
"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," he added.
It follows a CNN report on Tuesday, citing US intelligence, that suggested US strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by months rather than obliterating it.
Iran acknowledged Wednesday, however, that Iranian nuclear installations were "badly damaged" in the US and Israeli attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office assessed the combined strikes "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years."
US President Donald Trump has consistently claimed the nuclear facilities were "obliterated" in the weekend operation targeting the three key sites.
