Pentagon: U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites Push Tehran's Program Back by Two Years
Pentagon: US strikes set back Iran's nuclear program 1-2 years, 'obliterating' key sites. While Israel praises results, experts warn Iran retains some enrichment capacity. IAEA's Grossi estimates partial recovery possible within months amid ongoing damage assessments.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Pentagon announced late Wednesday that recent U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure have set back Tehran’s uranium enrichment program by approximately one to two years, describing the operation as a critical achievement in curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that the operation—code-named Midnight Hammer—led to the “total obliteration of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.” He underscored the significance of the strikes, declaring, “Iran is much further away today from a nuclear weapon than they were before… We finally have peace.”
The strikes, carried out by B-2 bombers and submarine-launched cruise missiles on June 22, targeted Iran’s core nuclear sites in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. “All of the intelligence that we've seen has led us to believe that… those facilities especially have been completely obliterated,” Parnell added.
A Strategic Blow and a Rare Estimate
This is the first time a senior official from the Trump administration has publicly provided an estimate on the anticipated delay Iran may face in reconstituting its nuclear program. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously echoed similar sentiments, affirming that there was “no intelligence indicating that Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium had been moved” before the American assault.
According to al-Monitor, the CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly told members of Congress in a closed-door briefing last week that rebuilding could take “years,” particularly due to the devastation at Natanz—home to Iran’s uranium metal conversion facility.
Iran Responds as Damage Emerges
Al-Monitor also wrote about the Iranian authorities have remained tight-lipped about the operational status of the underground Fordow facility, though satellite images suggest recovery efforts may be underway. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted in a CBS interview that while the exact condition inside Fordow remains unclear, “the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged.”
Meanwhile, Israeli officials expressed satisfaction with the results of the U.S. operation. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told reporters, “We are very happy and content with the results… [and] we pushed them back.”
Intelligence Divides and Doubts
Despite Pentagon optimism, some experts maintain a more cautious tone. David Albright, director of the Institute for Science and International Security, told Al-Monitor that while the strike was significant, Iran still retains some of its centrifuge and enrichment capacity, warning, “Iran retains an ability to breakout and produce weapon-grade uranium.”
Similarly, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), questioned the full scope of the damage, saying that Iran could potentially have “a few cascades of centrifuges spinning… in a matter of months.”
While the international community watches closely, the Pentagon's assertion signals a bold U.S. stance that the June 22 strikes marked not just a military success, but a geopolitical recalibration in the balance of nuclear deterrence in the Middle East.
