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Donald Trump Touts ‘Obliteration’ of Iran Sites Seen in Satellite Images | Avi Melamed’s insights quoted in this article by Brendan Cole Senior News Reporter for NEWSWEEK.
President Donald Trump said “monumental damage” was done to Iran’s nuclear sites citing satellite imagery after Tehran disputed whether the strikes on the facilities had dealt a knockout blow to the Islamic Republic’s atomic program.
Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday that “obliteration is an accurate term” for the strikes on three key Iranian facilities amid attempts by analysts to clarify whether the strikes had completely destroyed Iran’s hopes for developing a nuclear bomb.
Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed told Newsweek that at this stage, Iran’s military nuclear program has been significantly set back by the attacks but not entirely dismantled.
Why It Matters
Trump said the U.S. struck Fordow, around 60 miles south of Tehran, as well as the Natanz complex to the southeast and Isfahan, southwest of Natanz.
The U.S. president is often accused of hyperbole and social media posts saying Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities had been destroyed have been greeted with caution by analysts as questions remain over whether the operation dubbed Midnight Hammer spells the end of the Iranian nuclear threat.
What To Know
On Sunday, Trump posted that “monumental damage” had been done to all nuclear sites in Iran, citing satellite imagery.
He described how the white structure in one image was embedded into the rock and the biggest damage took place far below ground level,” adding “Bullseye!!!”
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said there was “severe damage and destruction” to the facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, but did not say Iran’s nuclear capacities had been obliterated.
Trump did not share the imagery in his post but he could have been referring to pictures published by the firm Maxar on Sunday showing large craters or holes at the top of the ridge above the underground complex at Fordow.
When asked if Iran still retains any nuclear capability, Caine said that “BDA is still pending” referring to Battle Damage Assessment by intelligence analysts and reconnaissance teams, using data from drones, satellites, radar, or ground reports.
Melamed, a Middle East analyst told Newsweek Iran’s military nuclear program has been significantly set back—though not entirely dismantled.
Tehran can either escalate, which threatens the regime’s survival, or negotiate, which would preserve its power base “while swallowing a bitter pill,” he said. At this point, all eyes should be on Beijing who will likely pressure Iran to deescalate.
Pranay Vaddi, who served as special assistant to President Joe Biden as well as senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council, told the publication Defense One that if the deeper reaches of Fordow had survived, Iran could still enrich uranium beyond the reach of the monitors of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).
That may require further “high risk” U.S. action if the locations are beyond the reach of bunker-busting bombs.
Also, Iran retains substantial know-how on enrichment and possibly nuclear weaponization, added Vaddi, senior nuclear fellow in the Center for Nuclear Security Policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, has said it was not yet possible to assess the damage done at the Fordow nuclear facility. Iranian state media said key nuclear sites had been evacuated ahead of U.S. attacks, with enriched uranium moved “to a safe location.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump on Truth Social: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!”
Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed: “At this stage, it can be assessed that Iran’s military nuclear program has been significantly set back—though not entirely dismantled.”
Pranay Vaddi, former senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council, to Defense One: “If the deeper reaches of Fordow survive, Iran is able to enrich, and there’s no monitoring anymore because Iran suspends any IAEA access, that’s a bad outcome and may require further U.S. action.”
What Happens Next
Tehran has threatened retaliation for the strikes. Experts say these could include additional rocket launches at Israel, the disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or strikes against U.S. military sites. regime views Israel’s strikes as existential, which is why it appears willing to use whatever resources it has, he added.
Donald Trump Touts ‘Obliteration’ of Iran Sites Seen in Satellite Images | Avi Melamed’s insights quoted in this article by Brendan Cole Senior News Reporter for NEWSWEEK.
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