B2 bombers failed? US intel intercepts Iranian officials saying US strikes on nuclear sites less damaging, says report

Iranian officials have indicated that the recent American B2 bomber and missile strikes on Iran's nuclear sites were not as devastating as they had expected, the Washington Post reported on Sunday (June 29), citing unnamed US intelligence sources. According to the report, the US intelligence intercepted communications between senior Iranian officials. The officials, as per the paper, wondered “why the strikes were not as destructive and extensive as they had anticipated.”

Report contradicts Trump, US govt claims on destroying Iran nuclear sites

The report came amid claims by US President Donald Trump on the effectiveness of the strikes that ended the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

Trump had insisted on several occasions that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” the Iranian nuclear programme.

White House calls the intercepted call report 'nonsense'

In a sharp reaction, the White House described the alleged Iranian conversation as “out-of-context leaks” and “nonsense.”

“Their nuclear weapons programme is over,” insisted Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, echoing the stance of Trump.

Another intelligence official cited in the WP report asked not to depend only on a single intercepted call to assess the damage, saying. “A single phone call... is not the same as an intelligence assessment.”

Uncertainty remains on extent of damage to Iranian nuclear sites

The report, and the White House rebuttal, came amid questions on the extent of damage caused to the Iranian nuclear programme by the US strikes. The US had deployed bunker buster bombs from B2 stealth bombers, and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles to strike the nuclear sites buried deep underground.

Reports soon after those strikes said, citing intelligence inputs and satellite imagery, that Iran might have moved some 400 kg of 60 per cent enriched uranium out of these sites. Remember that 60 per cent enriched uranium is near weapons-grade, which is 90 per cent.

There are also indications that the entrances of the facilities were sealed, and underground structures might still be intact.

Claims and counterclaims on US strikes on Iran

As questions began to arise, Trump railed against both the media and the opposition Democrats. He called the intelligence leaks to media 'criminal'. He played down as 'premature' an initial Pentagon assessment that the damage might delay Iran's nuclear programme only by months. “They should be prosecuted!” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump officials made claims of varying degrees of success, with one saying that the US destroyed the 'metal conversion facility' at a nuclear site. CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the US Congress that key sites were “completely destroyed”, adding it would take years for Iran to rebuild them.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said the US has not obliterated the Iranian nuclear programme as claimed by Trump, adding, "You cannot bomb knowledge out of existence.”

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged that the threat from Iran remains, even as he described 'obliteration' as a good word.

Rafael Grossi, the chief of UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency, said there was "very serious level of damage” to the Iranian nuclear sites, but added that Iran still has some capability.

How did Iran react to the attack on its nuclear sites?

On the Iranian side, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed Trump’s claims, saying the US “was unable to do anything important” with the strike.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the impacts on the programme from the attack were 'not little'