A year ago today, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced that Iran’s nuclear facilities “have been destroyed” in Operation Midnight Hammer, stating the facilities would require “years” to rebuild.
CIA director John Ratcliffe echoed this assessment shortly after.
The following day, the White House published a news release titled “Experts Agree: Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated,” citing other top officials who supported Gabbard and Ratcliffe.
Yet when President Trump launched military action against Iran on February 26 of this year, he cited the purported destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities as justification for the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu similarly referenced these claims.
It is important to note that prior to Operation Midnight Hammer, U.S. intelligence had determined that Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.
The Twelve Day War began on June 13, 2025, when Israel struck Iranian targets. By June 21, the War Department reported that U.S. B-2 Spirit bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri dropped precision-guided munitions on Fordow and a second nuclear facility, destroying critical infrastructure. President Trump declared the operation successful, stating the facilities were “completely and totally obliterated.”
Subsequent statements from officials reinforced this claim. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s director general, Rafael Grossi, noted centrifuges were no longer operational due to strike damage. Institute for Science and International Security president David Albright similarly stated Iran’s centrifuge capabilities were destroyed and its nuclear program “severely damaged.” Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir indicated the program was set back by “years,” while the Israel Atomic Energy Commission reported U.S. and Israeli strikes had significantly delayed Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
However, a recent Senate Intelligence Committee hearing revealed discrepancies. Director Gabbard testified that after Operation Midnight Hammer, there had been no efforts to rebuild Iran’s enrichment capabilities, with entrances to underground facilities buried and shuttered. She stated: “We continue to monitor for any early indicators on what position the current or any new leadership in Iran will take with regard to authorizing a nuclear weapons program.”
Senator Jon Ossoff pressed Gabbard on whether intelligence had concluded Iran’s nuclear capability was “obliterated,” noting her assessment that Iran is not pursuing such programs.
Despite these assertions, U.S. and Israeli forces conducted additional strikes in February 2026 targeting facilities previously destroyed in Operation Midnight Hammer.
