Euphoric Netanyahu’s push for Iran regime change after US strikes risks ‘anarchy’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ecstatic over the Americans striking Iran, but experts are warning the attack might not have fully eliminated Tehran’s nuclear project.
TEL AVIV — Israeli officials on Sunday hailed the massive US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites as a major strategic achievement, even as they cautioned that it was too soon to assess the full extent of the damage.
"It is still unclear what damage was caused to Iran's nuclear sites," a senior Israeli security source speaking on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor. "It will take time. The bombs exploded underground. The real damage cannot be seen from the outside. So the only ones who will really know the extent of the damage in the near future are the Iranians themselves, and then we have to hope that this information leaks out as well."
According to Israeli defense sources, an initial assessment by Israeli officials indicates that another drop of GBU-57 “bunker-buster” bombs may be needed to ensure that Fordow, the deeply fortified site considered vital to Iran's nuclear program, has indeed been completely destroyed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the United States believes the attack on the Fordow facility “achieved destruction of capabilities,” adding that “our initial assessment … is that all of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect.” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said it would be “way too early” to comment on whether Iran still retains some nuclear capabilities.
