5 hours ago
Last Updated:June 26, 2025, 23:41 IST
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was “not aware of any intelligence” indicating the removal or relocation of nuclear material.
US strikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility left six craters in the ground | Reuters Image
In a high-stakes Pentagon briefing, US military officials released new operational details about ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’- the precision airstrikes launched on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. The disclosures addressed key questions fueling speculation since the attack, including whether enriched uranium was removed before the strike and the extent of damage inflicted on Iran’s most fortified sites.
Iran Attempted To Shield Fordow With Concrete
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed that in the days leading up to the operation, US intelligence observed Iranian crews attempting to conceal the main shafts of the Fordow enrichment facility by pouring concrete over them. He said, “The planners had to account for this. The cap was forcibly removed by the first weapon and the main shaft was uncovered." The revelation pointed to a last-minute effort by Iran to protect key infrastructure which ultimately failed owing to the use of bunker-busting bombs by the US.
Bombs ‘Functioned As Designed’
General Dan Caine confirmed the operation went “exactly as planned" with the 30,000-pound munitions detonating successfully on impact. He said, “We know this through intelligence means,. Trailing aircraft visually confirmed the detonation of the first wave of weapons." The strikes targeted Iran’s three key nuclear sites- Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
No Evidence Of Uranium Removal
Addressing growing speculation over whether Iran moved enriched uranium prior to the attack, both Pentagon and the White House stated unequivocally that there was no indication any material was evacuated.
“There was no indication to the United States that any of that enriched uranium was moved prior to the strike from any of the sites," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said following which US President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, “The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of the facility. Would take too long, too dangerous and very heavy and hard to move."
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed that assessment during the Pentagon briefing, saying he was “not aware of any intelligence" indicating the removal or relocation of nuclear material.
‘Obliteration’ Still Under Review
While Donald Trump has repeatedly described the sites- particularly Fordow- as “obliterated," General Dan Caine was more cautious as he said that full assessments are still underway.
“These sites are complex and underground, and full analysis takes time," General Dan Caine said while Pete Hegseth defended the “obliteration" term, arguing that the destructive capability of the weapons justifies its usage.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world Complete Obliteration? Uranium Intact? Pentagon Reveals New Details On US' Iran Strikes
