CIA Director John Ratcliffe told US lawmakers that the June 22 airstrikes, part of Operation Midnight Hammer, "destroyed the only metallic conversion facility, damaging Iran's nuclear program in a way that will take years to fix," an anonymous US official told the Associated Press (AP) on 29/6.

According to the official, Ratcliffe made this assessment during a closed-door briefing with lawmakers last week. The CIA director said that the US intelligence community assesses that the majority of Iran's enriched uranium "is likely still buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordow," two of the three nuclear facilities targeted.

Even if the enriched uranium remains intact, the loss of the metallic conversion facility "effectively strips Iran of the ability to create a nuclear bomb for years to come," the official stated.

Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility after being struck by US airstrikes on 22/6. Photo: AP

Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility after being struck by US airstrikes on 22/6. Photo: AP

The metallic conversion facility that Ratcliffe mentioned, located at the Isfahan complex, converts uranium from compound form to pure metal. This is a crucial step in nuclear programs, necessary for creating fuel rods for reactors or the core of nuclear weapons.

Another US official said Iran "miscalculated the extent of the damage" to the facilities. "We destroyed their metallic conversion facility, and rebuilding it will take years. The US weapons hit their intended targets and achieved their intended effect," the official added.

In an interview on CBS's Face the Nation, which aired on 29/6, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that the three Iranian facilities capable of processing, converting, and enriching uranium "were considerably destroyed."

"Some facilities remain; Iran still retains some nuclear capabilities. If it chooses, Iran could do this again," Grossi said. "A full assessment of the damage depends on whether Iran grants inspectors access to these facilities. Frankly, it can't be confirmed that everything is gone and that there's nothing there."

Hours after the US military launched Operation Midnight Hammer, President Donald Trump declared that Iran's nuclear program "has been obliterated." US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the three targeted facilities "were destroyed."

The 37-hour journey of the B-2 bomber that struck Iran. Click for details.

Meanwhile, a preliminary report by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessed that the airstrikes caused significant damage to the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan complexes but did not completely destroy them.

According to the CIA Director, Iran's air defenses were down during the 12 days of conflict with Israel. This made it easier for Israel to launch further attacks to prevent any attempts to restore the nuclear program, and Iran had limited capacity to respond.

Ratcliffe's assessment aligns with damage estimates provided by Israeli officials. A senior Israeli defense official said that Iran's capacity to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels "has been neutralized for an extended period."

Israel also believes Iran's nuclear program suffered further setbacks due to the deaths of key scientists during the conflict. In addition, Iran's missile production and air defense systems also sustained damage.

Nguyen Tien (According to AP, AFP, Reuters)