What Was Hit — and What Wasn’t
The U.S. strike, conducted using B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles, targeted three primary nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. While the aboveground structures and power infrastructure at the facilities were severely damaged, the underground enrichment components — particularly the deeply buried centrifuges and uranium stockpiles — survived largely intact, according to sources.
Israel, which had been conducting its own military operations on Iranian targets in the days prior to the U.S. strike, had publicly stated that the Iranian program had been set back by two years. However, Israeli officials reportedly expected greater damage at Fordow from the U.S. strikes and now believe the combined Israeli-American assault may have achieved a two-year delay—but only if Iran is not allowed to rebuild.
One crucial detail, shared by a source, is that Isfahan was struck with Tomahawk missiles launched from a submarine rather than with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs. This was due to an internal assessment that the site’s deeper underground levels would be impervious to even the U.S.’ most powerful bunker-busters.
Weapons expert Jeffrey Lewis, who analyzed commercial satellite imagery of the aftermath, concluded that the attacks fell short of their objective. “The ceasefire came without either Israel or the United States being able to destroy several key underground nuclear facilities,” Lewis said, referring to Natanz, Isfahan, and Parchin — the latter a separate site near Tehran.
“These facilities could serve as the basis for the rapid reconstitution of Iran’s nuclear program,” he warned.
Political Fallout and Intelligence Silence
On Capitol Hill, the fallout continued Tuesday as classified briefings on the strikes were abruptly canceled for both the House and Senate. Two sources confirmed the Senate briefing was rescheduled for Thursday, but no explanation was provided for the House delay.
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan of New York criticized the move in a post on X: “Trump just cancelled a classified House briefing on the Iran strikes with zero explanation. The real reason? He claims he destroyed ‘all nuclear facilities and capability;’ his team knows they can’t back up his bluster and BS.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine struck a more cautious tone Sunday, warning that the full extent of the damage remains unknown and that it was “way too early” to assess whether Iran retains a nuclear weapons capability.
Even Rep. Michael McCaul, a senior Republican and former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, distanced himself from Trump’s declarations. “The plan was never meant to completely destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, but to inflict significant damage,” McCaul told CNN. “It was always known to be a temporary setback.”
Secret Sites Still Untouched
Further complicating the picture, multiple sources told CNN that U.S. officials believe Iran continues to operate undeclared, secret nuclear facilities that were not targeted in the strike and remain fully functional.
As the dust settles, it is becoming clear that while the U.S. airstrikes dealt a blow to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, they fell short of crippling it — despite bold rhetoric to the contrary. For now, the debate over the true impact of the operation continues to unfold both inside the intelligence community and on the global stage.