Shocking Leak of Iran Strike Intel Shakes NATO and Trump’s War Narrative

An initial U.S. intelligence assessment has shattered President Donald Trump’s claims of a decisive victory, revealing that airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities have only delayed Tehran’s program by months, not obliterated it. The classified Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, based on early bomb damage assessments of strikes on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles, indicates core components of Iran’s nuclear effort were damaged but not destroyed, according to three sources familiar with the findings.

The DIA assessment, labeled “low confidence,” contradicts Trump’s boasts, most recently in a Monday social media post claiming, “The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed, and everyone knows it.” Instead, it suggests the strikes, part of Operation Midnight Hammer launched with the debut of 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrators, set Iran back by several months, not years. One source revealed Iran moved multiple batches of its 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, near weapons-grade, out of the sites before the June 21 attack, leaving stockpiles intact. A second source confirmed some centrifuges remain operational, undermining Vice President JD Vance’s assertion on Fox News that “Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt unleashed a furious response, blasting the leak as a “clear attempt to demean President Trump and discredit the brave fighter pilots” who executed the mission. “This alleged ‘assessment’ is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” she wrote on X. “Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000-pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.” The White House has not denied the report’s existence but insists it misrepresents the strikes’ impact, with a senior official noting Fordow’s deep underground halls suffered a “devastating blow” and will be unusable for some time.

A criminal investigation has been launched into the leak, which threatens to undermine the U.S. military strike on Iran’s nuclear program, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Speaking at the NATO summit today, Hegseth confirmed that the probe targets the unauthorized release of a classified Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, which was first exposed by CNN earlier this week.

Hegseth, addressing allies amid heightened tensions, called the leak a “deliberate act to sabotage U.S. credibility,” vowing swift action against those responsible. The DIA assessment, labeled “low confidence,” indicated that core components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including centrifuges, remain intact, and that Iran had moved 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium before the attack. This intelligence breach follows White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s fiery condemnation, labeling the leaker a “low-level loser” within the intelligence community intent on discrediting the mission’s “brave fighter pilots.”

The leak’s timing is critical, coinciding with a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, brokered by Trump and Qatar, which holds after 12 days of conflict. Two Israeli sources recently told ABC News that it’s premature to call the strikes a success, with one downplaying damage at Fordow, describing the outcome as “not really good.” This aligns with the DIA’s findings, though a senior U.S. official insists Fordow’s deep underground halls suffered a “devastating blow” and will be offline for some time. The IAEA, meanwhile, remains unable to verify Iran’s uranium stockpile due to restricted access since June 13, following Israeli strikes.

NATO leaders, gathered to address the Iran crisis, face a diplomatic tightrope as the U.S. probes the leak’s source. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) suggested the Trump administration delayed a congressional briefing to avoid embarrassment, while Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) noted the assessment’s conclusions may shift with more data. As Iran fortifies its sites and experts warn of potential terrorist retaliation, the leak investigation could strain U.S.-ally trust, with Hegseth promising “no stone unturned” to protect national security.

Nonproliferation experts agree bombing can’t erase Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, spread across 30 sites, some uninspected by the IAEA, which canceled a Natanz visit after Iran announced a new underground facility. Satellite imagery showed trucks at Fordow pre-strike, fueling speculation uranium was relocated. While Israel’s June 13 strikes killed up to a dozen nuclear scientists, Iran’s deep bench of experts and fortification lessons from U.S. bombs could accelerate recovery. Trump demands Iran abandon enrichment, a right Tehran, a Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory, claims for peaceful use, while analysts warn Iran might retaliate with terrorism.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman just confirmed that the nuclear facilities were severely damaged in the American strikes.