U.S. intelligence assessments have concluded that its forces have not managed to significantly degrade Iran's nuclear capabilities since Operation Epic Fury began in late February.
Reuters detailed that the current assessment is that the U.S. and Israel did manage to set back the country's timeline to obtain a weapon in June last year through "Operation Midnight Hammer," which targeted its main nuclear facilities.
Back then, attacks hit the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan facilities, damaging them badly. Intelligence assessments believing they pushed back the timeline from nine months to a year.
However, the ongoing war has not altered that scenario over the past months, with the U.S. largely targeting Tehran's conventional military forces and facilities. Israel, it says, did strike some nuclear targets.
The report goes on to say that forcefully maiming Iran's nuclear capabilities would require destroying or removing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. It is unclear where the stockpile is, but the UN nuclear watchdog believes it is stored in an underground complex in Isfahan.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales reacted to the story, saying: "While Operation Midnight Hammer obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities, Operation Epic Fury built on this success by decimating Iran's defense industrial base that they once leveraged as a protective shield around their pursuit of a nuclear weapon." "President Trump has long been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon – and he does not bluff," she added.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have failed to make successful progress, with the nuclear issue remaining a significant sticking point. And tensions escalated again on Monday over the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to Fox News, President Donald Trump said Tehran will be "blown off the face of the Earth" if its forces seek to prevent ships from crossing the key waterway.
He went on to say that the U.S. military buildup in the region continues to grow. "We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before."
"We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They're all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it."
The threat comes after the commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Brad Cooper, said U.S. forces sunk six Iranian small boats that were targeting civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
