Chinese defence experts expressed scepticism about US President Donald Trump’s claim that air strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s biggest nuclear facilities, following reports that core components of Tehran’s nuclear assets remained intact.
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CNN reported on Tuesday that an assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm, was at odds with Trump’s claim that Iran’s enrichment sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – were “completely and totally obliterated”.
While the full extent of the damage and its implications for Iran’s nuclear ambitions are still unclear, Chinese analysts agreed that the strikes were limited in effectiveness.
They cited factors including the gap between the depth of Iran’s underground facilities and the penetration capabilities of the bombs used, and reports that Tehran might have removed enriched uranium ahead of the attacks.
Chinese military aviation expert Fu Qianshao noted that the US said its “bunker buster” bomb was capable of penetrating 60 metres (197 feet) underground, but if the Iranian facilities were made of specially reinforced concrete, the effective depth would be far less.
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“The Fordow facility is buried about 80 to 90 metres underground, so there was a gap there,” he added. “In the end, the US likely didn’t achieve the intended operational goal.”