IDF Confirms Iran’s Nuclear Program Set Back by Years

In the aftermath of Israel’s decisive 12-day campaign against Iran, the IDF is making it clear: Tehran’s nuclear aspirations have suffered a serious, long-term blow. Despite American intelligence estimates suggesting only a short-term disruption, IDF Chief Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin firmly stated this week, “We set it back years. I repeat: years backwards.”

Addressing the media, Defrin emphasized that Israel not only achieved but surpassed its operational goals. While the intricate impact on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is still under detailed assessment by IDF intelligence and the Israeli Air Force, the early indicators point to massive strategic success.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi echoed this sentiment, telling FOX News that “there is one Iran before June 13 and one now, and it is night and day.” According to Grossi, every major nuclear facility in Iran was hit significantly, with the damage making any attempt to weaponize uranium “very hard for an extended period.”

The heart of the Israeli-American offensive was a focused strike on the Fordow nuclear facility, buried deep beneath a mountain. Using the US’s most powerful bunker buster bombs, the site was bombarded relentlessly. As of now, no one neither Iran, the IAEA, nor international observers can confirm the extent of the devastation until the wreckage is fully assessed. However, Israeli intelligence is confident that the combination of destroyed facilities, missing components, and disrupted uranium stockpiles has stalled Iran's nuclear threat for years.

Critics have pointed out that Israel has made similar declarations before such as after the Natanz sabotage in 2020 and the assassination of nuclear architect Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. While Iran eventually recovered from those setbacks, this current operation was broader, more sustained, and strategically deeper than any prior engagement.

Defrin also highlighted that the mission struck hard at Iran’s ballistic missile program, an essential delivery system for any nuclear weapon. By crippling both the warhead development and delivery capabilities, Israel ensured that Iran’s ambitions would be delayed not just at the lab, but on the battlefield.

This comes after nearly two years of Israeli efforts that already weakened Tehran’s terror proxies across the region. The recent campaign was not an isolated strike it was a culmination of a sustained strategic doctrine aimed at defending Israel on all fronts.

As the world waits to see whether Iran will choose to return to the negotiating table or attempt to rebuild its nuclear enterprise, one fact is clear: Israel has bought itself time and peace of mind for its citizens through a carefully executed, high-impact operation.

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