Iran’s nuclear ambitions may have just suffered their most significant setback in over a decade, as new assessments from the Pentagon suggest recent joint U.S.-Israeli strikes have crippled key facilities, delaying Tehran’s program by as much as two years.
The bold military move, spearheaded in mid-June and described by some officials as the most comprehensive attack since 2007, has reignited global debate over how to contain Iran’s nuclear trajectory and whether the damage inflicted is tactical, symbolic, or both.
US Declares Attack ‘Crippled’ Nuclear Infrastructure
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell didn’t mince words on Wednesday.
“We have degraded their program by one to two years at least. Intel assessments inside the Department assess that,” Parnell told reporters, emphasizing that the Fordo and Natanz enrichment sites, along with a third undisclosed location, had been “completely obliterated.”
His statement echoed President Donald Trump, who hours earlier told supporters at a Florida rally that the strikes had “put Iran back in the cave, where they belong.”
American B-2 bombers reportedly dropped GBU-57 bunker-busting bombs on Fordo and Natanz, both of which lie deep underground. A U.S. guided missile submarine lurking in the Arabian Sea fired dozens of Tomahawks at the third site, which officials declined to name.
One official privately described the operation as “shock and silence,” noting the unprecedented speed and scale of coordination with Israeli forces.
Tehran Admits Damage But Insists Knowledge Remains
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian tried to downplay the impact.
“Yes, there was physical damage. We are assessing it,” he said in a televised interview late Wednesday.
He continued, almost defiantly, “But the technology, the people, the knowledge—they are still with us. We will rebuild.”
That phrase, “we will rebuild,” has already become a rallying cry for Iran’s hardliners, who flooded social media channels with messages of resilience. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies, however, painted a different picture: entire sections of the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Plant appeared flattened, with blackened craters clearly visible.
One Iranian analyst, speaking anonymously from Tehran, said: “Emotion aside, the blow is deep. This wasn’t just a symbolic hit. Our nuclear timeline has been dragged backwards.”
Trump Ditches Talks, Backs Firepower
Trump had spent much of June publicly teasing a new nuclear deal, one that he claimed would be “better than the disaster Obama signed in 2015.”
But behind closed doors, military planning was underway.
Multiple senior defense officials confirmed that diplomatic options had started losing traction after Iran refused inspections at a fourth undeclared site near Esfahan.
By June 10, the Pentagon had already green-lit the mission. Trump gave the final go-ahead on June 12, just hours after intelligence indicated new uranium centrifuges were being installed at Natanz.
- The airstrikes began at dawn June 13.
- Iranian radar systems were jammed within seconds.
- Bombers crossed into Iranian airspace from two vectors: northwest and southeast.
Parnell described the operation as “precision overload,” suggesting that over 75% of munitions hit within one meter of intended targets.
Israeli Role: Aggressive and Coordinated
Israel’s involvement was anything but passive. It launched dozens of sorties targeting support infrastructure, command posts, and transit hubs.
An Israeli Air Force official, speaking to local media on condition of anonymity, said the mission aimed to target the “brain and nerves” of Iran’s nuclear network.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained tight-lipped about operational specifics, but praised the outcome. “The free world cannot allow Iran to go nuclear. This is a red line we enforced,” he told reporters.
At least six senior Iranian nuclear scientists were reportedly killed in follow-up strikes or covert operations.
Fallout and Diplomatic Shockwaves
Unsurprisingly, the reaction has been swift.
European Union officials expressed concern about the precedent being set, while Russia condemned the strikes as “unilateral aggression.”
China, meanwhile, urged both parties to show restraint and called for immediate restoration of talks under international supervision.
India, a long-time strategic partner to both the U.S. and Iran, has so far maintained silence. But privately, Delhi is said to be monitoring crude oil futures and shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s a quick view of how key stakeholders have reacted:
| Country | Official Response |
|---|---|
| USA | Justified, claims strategic necessity |
| Iran | Condemns, vows to rebuild |
| Israel | Hails success, vows continued pressure |
| EU | Concerned, calls for de-escalation |
| Russia | Condemns as violation of sovereignty |
| China | Urges diplomacy, neutrality |
| India | Silent, economic monitoring underway |
What Happens Now?
For now, the airstrikes have halted Iran’s momentum. But whether the setback is permanent remains uncertain.
Defense analysts warn that Iran’s decentralized scientific network and stockpiled material could allow them to bounce back sooner than expected.
But rebuilding takes time. And trust, even longer.
Behind the rhetoric and rubble, the next phase of this conflict may unfold in silence—through sabotage, sanctions, or secret talks.
