Fri Jul 11 00:09:04 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the information, written from a neutral perspective:

**U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites: Damage Assessments Vary**

**Washington – July 11, 2025** – Conflicting assessments have emerged regarding the extent of damage inflicted by U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last month. While President Trump maintains the strikes “obliterated” the targeted sites, other sources suggest a more nuanced reality.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s preliminary report indicates significant damage to the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan sites, but stops short of claiming complete destruction. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has asserted that the strikes destroyed Iran’s sole metal conversion facility, a major setback for the Iranian nuclear program.

Adding to the debate, a senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, believes that substantial quantities of enriched uranium remain buried at the Isfahan site and are potentially retrievable, albeit through a difficult recovery effort. This assessment contradicts claims of complete destruction made by some U.S. officials.

Furthermore, officials from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the agency responsible for developing the “bunker buster” bombs used in the strikes, stated they are still awaiting data to determine if the munitions reached their intended depths.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged significant damage to his country’s nuclear facilities in an interview, stating that authorities have been unable to access the sites to fully assess the destruction. He expressed willingness to resume cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog but indicated that unfettered access for inspectors is currently impossible due to the damage.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that the three targeted sites had suffered “important” destruction to their treatment, conversion, and enrichment capabilities. He cautioned, however, that those capabilities remained and could be restarted if Iran chose to do so. He reiterated the need for IAEA inspectors to access the sites to conduct a comprehensive damage assessment.

The conflicting reports highlight the difficulty in accurately assessing the impact of the strikes and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the status of Iran’s nuclear program.

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