U.S. strikes set back Iran nuclear program by a few months, initial report says

The U.S. military strikes targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow

- Dustin Volz, Jared Malsin & Lara Seligman

A preliminary intelligence report found that the U.S. military's strikes last weekend on three Iranian nuclear facilities only set back Tehran's nuclear ambitions by a few months, countering claims made by President Trump and the White House, according to people familiar with the intelligence.

The initial findings, written by the Defense Intelligence Agency, relied on military damage assessments following the U.S. bombings, the people said, adding that the assessment could change as more intelligence is collected.

A senior administration official confirmed the report's existence but said it hadn't risen to the level of being shared with the Defense Department's top leaders. Several members of Congress, including full committees, have seen or have access to the report, lawmakers said.

U.S. intelligence agencies frequently produce classified reports that are later revised, sometimes substantially, as more information is collected. Such reports don't necessarily reflect the views of other spy agencies, and disagreement among the agencies isn't uncommon.