Trump insists ‘monumental damage’ done by US strikes in Iran but others are more cautious
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Trump insists ‘monumental damage’ done by US strikes in Iran but others are more cautious
Donald Trump claims ‘monumental damage’ has been done to Iran’s nuclear sites. IAEA head says agency has not been able to assess the underground damage. Pentagon officials have characterised the damage to the sites as ‘severe’ Israeli jets struck Fordow in order to obstruct its access routes, the IDF said. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had earlier said Tehran was still “calculating the damage’. Iranian authorities had preemptively removed some material from the site, possibly including its uranium stockpile – or parts of it. Iran’s stockpile of uranium is theoretically sufficient to make nine or 10 atomic weapons. Iran has retained 400kg of highly enriched 60% enriched uranium and continued to manufacture centrifuges, experts have said. The US vice-president, JD Vance, said the US would work to ensure that we do something with that fuel in the coming weeks. The strikes have been described as a ‘complete’ failure to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed that Iran had told the agency it had planned to take “special measures” to protect equipment and nuclear materials on 13 June.
Trump, who has a reputation for hyperbole, again stated that the sites had been “obliterated” by this weekend’s US bombings, in contrast with the more cautious language from the Pentagon and Israeli officials.
“Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images,” he said in a social media post. “Obliteration is an accurate term!” Pentagon officials have characterised the damage to the sites – at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – as “severe”.
Assessing the extent of the damage has been complicated by the fact that the US, Israel and the IAEA only have access to surface satellite imagery of the sites and reporting from Iran’s nuclear agency on any contamination.
Satellite imagery of Fordow taken in the days before the US attack showed an unusual volume of truck traffic. The images appeared to confirm that Iranian authorities had preemptively removed some material from the site, possibly including its uranium stockpile – or parts of it.
On Monday, Israeli jets struck Fordow in order to obstruct its access routes, the IDF said.
According to briefings from unnamed US and Israeli officials to American and Israeli media, Fordow had been heavily damaged but not destroyed. A senior US official told the New York Times the site had been taken “off the table” but that even 12 bunker-busting bombs could not destroy it.
Speaking in Vienna, Grossi said that given the “explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred.”
He added, however, that “at this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage.” Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had earlier said Tehran was still “calculating the damage”.
Grossi also called for agency inspectors to be allowed to return to Iran’s nuclear sites in an effort to “account for” Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles and a “return to the negotiating table”.
Whether or not Iran had managed to remove technology and uranium from the attacked sites is likely to be a key question in the coming days and weeks.
“We are going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel and that’s one of the things that we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about,” the US vice-president, JD Vance, told ABC’s This Week on Sunday, referring to the stockpile of uranium theoretically sufficient to make nine or 10 atomic weapons.
Satellite images released by several imaging companies in the immediate aftermath of the US strikes suggested changes to the above ground topography of the Fordow site, which is buried beneath layers of sedimentary rock in the Zagros mountains.
Other images showed what appeared to be two distinct clusters of holes in a ridge at the site, caused by the entry of the dozen bunker-busting Massive Ordinance Penetrators dropped by US B2 Spirit stealth bombers.
According to Joseph Rodgers, deputy director and fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Project on Nuclear Issues, the US bunker busters appeared to have targeted ventilation shafts at the Fordow facility.
“The reason that you’d want to target a ventilation shaft is that it’s a more direct route to the core components of the underground facility,” Rodgers told Wired magazine.
Among those so far sceptical about the impact of the US strikes was Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, who tracks Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“At the end of the day there are some really important things that haven’t been hit. If this ends here, it’s a really incomplete strike,” Lewis told NPR, echoing other experts who pointed to Iran’s continued retention of enriched uranium as the key issue.
In a lengthy thread on social media, Lewis expanded his point: “This means Iran has retained 400kg [of 60% highly enriched uranium], the ability to manufacture centrifuges, and one, possibly two underground enrichment sites.
“That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA’s calculation, although Iran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons.”
“That is also to say nothing of possible secret sites, which opponents of the JCPOA [the Iran nuclear deal Trump pulled out of] used to invoke all the freaking time,” Lewis said.
“If the strike leaves the current regime, or something very much like it, in power with a nuclear option then it will have been a strategic failure. What does it say when two of the most amazing military operations in modern memory are still unable to fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear programme? I think that’s proof that this is tactical brilliance […] may be in service of a foolhardy strategy.”
Trump reportedly in situation room amid Iran retaliatory attack on US military base in Qatar – US politics live
Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine and Secretary Pete Hegseth are in the Situation Room right now monitoring potential Iranian retaliation. Trump is currently in the room with them, CNBC reports. Trump and Republican representative Thomas Massie have been engaged in an online back-and-forth after Massie publicly opposed Trump’s decision to strike Iran. A group of 12 House Democratic military veterans are backing efforts to constrain Donald Trump’s military authority. The veterans – some of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan – were strongly critical of what they called “preventive air strikes’ without congressional approval, drawing explicit parallels to the run-up to some of America’s longest recent wars. The president had visited the Qatari base Iran is attacking just last month. He said “my priority is to end conflicts, not start them”. Macron said today that there was no “framework of legality” regarding the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, adding any regime change in the country should be a result of the will of the people, not of bombs.
1m ago 18.53 BST The Trump administration was reportedly aware in advance of Iran’s attack on the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, according to Axios. Share
11m ago 18.43 BST As we reported earlier, Trump and Republican representative Thomas Massie have been engaged in an online back-and-forth after Massie publicly opposed Trump’s decision to strike Iran. Massie said on social media today that “Our War Powers Resolution has 57 cosponsors.” He added that: “Whether you like it or not Congress will be voting on U.S. hostilities in Iran. Under the War Powers Act, the President is required to withdraw from hostilities in Iran within 60 days (+30 day ext.) unless he gets a vote of Congress.” Share Updated at 18.50 BST
33m ago 18.21 BST Trump had visited the Qatari base Iran is attacking just last month. The president addressed US and Qatari troops there in May during a trip to the region. Speaking to US troops at the base just weeks ago, Trump said “my priority is to end conflicts, not start them”. He added: “But I will never hesitate to wield American power, if it’s necessary, to defend the United States of America or our partners. And this is one of our great partners right here,” referring to Qatar. “When we’re threatened, America’s military will answer our enemies without even thinking about it. We have overwhelming strength and devastating force.” Share Updated at 18.42 BST
49m ago 18.06 BST Trump in situation room with Hegseth and Caine amid Iran attack on US bases – report Joint Chiefs Chair General Dan Caine and Secretary Pete Hegseth are in the Situation Room right now monitoring potential Iranian retaliation, per a senior White House official. Trump is currently in the room with them, CNBC reports. Share Updated at 18.20 BST
1h ago 17.42 BST A western diplomat told Reuters that there has been a credible Iranian threat against the US-run al Udeid airbase in Qatar since noon. The airbase in Qatar is the Middle East’s largest US base that houses about 10,000 troops. At the same time, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Iran is moving missile launchers into place for a potential attack on US forces in the Middle East, citing US officials. Share Updated at 18.03 BST
1h ago 17.33 BST Macron says ‘no framework of legality’ for US strikes on Iran nuclear facilities France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, said today that there was no “framework of legality” regarding the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, adding any regime change in the country should be a result of the will of the people, not of bombs. “There is no framework of legality in these strikes, even if France shares the objective not to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons,” he told reporters during a press conference in Oslo alongside the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. “I believe in the sovereignty of peoples and territorial integrity … so I don’t think we can take the place of a people to change its leaders,” Macron added. Share Updated at 17.40 BST
2h ago 17.18 BST Joseph Gedeon A group of 12 House Democratic military veterans are backing efforts to constrain Donald Trump’s military authority, announcing they will support a War Powers Act resolution in response to the US president’s go ahead for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The veterans – some of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan – were strongly critical of Trump’s decision to launch what they called “preventive air strikes” without US congressional approval, drawing explicit parallels to the run-up to some of America’s longest recent wars. “Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians – from both parties – failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote in a letter led by Representative Pat Ryan to Trump sent on Monday. “We refuse to make those same mistakes.” Their intervention comes as multiple war powers resolutions are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, with the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, pushing for a vote as early as this week to rein in the president’s military actions. The veterans did not specify which measure they would support, as competing versions are being drafted by different Democratic factions alongside a bipartisan effort. House Democratic veterans back moves to limit Trump’s military authority Read more Share
2h ago 17.06 BST The day so far Trump is scheduled to meet with his national security team at 1pm ET in the Oval Office.
Trump responded to Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and an ally of Vladimir Putin, who said on social media that a “number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads”. In response, Trump said that “The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS.’”
Trump issued a warning about oil prices after White House adviser says Iran strike won’t disrupt markets.
The US embassy in Qatar advised American citizens there to “shelter in place until further notice” and on Sunday night, the state department issued a “worldwide caution” security alert advising US citizens abroad to “exercise increased caution”.
Pakistan has condemned Trump for bombing Iran , less than 24 hours after saying he deserved a Nobel peace prize for defusing a recent crisis with India.
Trump is set to attend the two day Nato summit beginning on Tuesday. The White House said that at the summit, Trump will push Nato members to increase defense spending.
Trump insisted that “ monumental damage ” had been done by US strikes to Iran’s nuclear sites, but the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says no one in a position to fully assess damage to Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that the US position on Iran regime change has altered, despite Trump raising the prospect of regime change in Iran on Sunday.
Democratic senator John Fetterman called US strike on Iran “entirely appropriate” and criticized his Democratic colleagues who have condemned the strikes.
On Monday morning, Trump once again hit out at Republican r epresentative Thomas Massie, who has publicly opposed Trump’s decision to strike Iran.
The LA county sheriff’s department deleted and then apologized for posting a message expressing sympathy for “the victims and families impacted” by US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Share Updated at 17.31 BST