Thursday, March, 19 2026 - US intelligence has concluded that Iran is not rebuilding its nuclear enrichment capabilities destroyed in a 2025 joint strike by the United States and Israel, contradicting claims by President Donald Trump.
The assessment was disclosed by Director of National
Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in written testimony submitted to the Senate
Intelligence Committee as part of the annual threat report.
“As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran’s nuclear
enrichment programme was obliterated. There has been no effort since then to
rebuild that capability,” Gabbard stated in the document.
However, she did not repeat the finding during her oral
testimony before senators. When questioned, Gabbard said time constraints
prevented her from presenting the full report but did not dispute its
conclusions.
Trump has consistently maintained that the February 28
strike on Iran, carried out alongside Israel was necessary due to an “imminent
threat.” He has also claimed Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon, a
position not widely supported by analysts and despite ongoing diplomatic talks.
A senior aide to Gabbard resigned earlier, arguing there was
no imminent threat and alleging that the president had been misled by
intelligence interpretations and external influences.
In her remarks, Gabbard acknowledged that Iran has suffered
significant damage from weeks of attacks, including losses in leadership and
military capacity. She noted, however, that the government remains operational.
The US intelligence community assesses that while Iran’s
system is weakened, it is still intact and could attempt a long-term rebuild of
its military capabilities, including missile and drone programmes.
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