JC Israel Briefing Day 629: Trump compares Iran strikes to Hiroshima bombing

The CIA said major Iranian nuclear sites were “destroyed” and warned it could take years to rebuild. Mossad chief David Barnea called the strikes a “historic” success and said the Iranian nuclear threat had been “significantly neutralised”. Both agencies indicated Tehran’s atomic ambitions had suffered long-term damage, degrading enrichment capabilities and leadership infrastructure.

Channel 12 reported a new Institute for Science and International Security analysis confirming major site damage. Satellite data showed enrichment facilities at Natanz were destroyed and power systems knocked out. Fordo was struck with bunker-busting bombs, causing “severe or total destruction”. Analyst David Albright said Iran would need years to regain its pre-war capabilities.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that its nuclear sites were “badly damaged”. The IAEA found extensive structural destruction at Fordo and Natanz, declared conditions unsafe, and noted that uranium enrichment had halted. Inspectors acknowledged “special measures” were taken to protect material but could not verify whether enriched stockpiles had been relocated before the attacks.

Israeli commandos operated covertly inside Iran during the war, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has revealed. He said this capability “granted us operational freedom” and enabled attacks on missile systems and air defenses. Zamir noted the stealth missions contributed significantly to the strikes’ operational success and delivered vital intelligence on nuclear and military targets.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Iran’s nuclear infrastructure “gone to oblivion.” He named Natanz, Isfahan, Arak, and the nuclear archive among the facilities hit. He warned that Israel would strike again if Iran attempted to rebuild. Netanyahu called the mission an example of Israel’s resolve to prevent a future nuclear threat.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed the ongoing ceasefire as a “great victory” and announced a national day of mourning. In a public address, he pledged to uphold the ceasefire terms and maintain national dignity. The regime’s coordinated messaging suggested an effort to frame the outcome as both a survival of sovereignty and a patriotic resistance.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to Trump thanking him for his “successful efforts in reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Iran”. Abbas described the halt in hostilities as “a necessary and important step to defuse the crises plaguing the world” and reaffirmed his support for a “recognized, free, sovereign, and secure Palestine”.

Elsewhere, Trump demanded the immediate cancellation of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s criminal trial. Calling it a “ridiculous Witch Hunt,” he criticised charges over “cigars, a Bugs Bunny doll, and numerous other unfair charges”. His statement was the most direct US interference in an Israeli legal proceeding by a sitting or former president in the nation’s history.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid rejected Trump’s statement and called for legal independence. “We are grateful to President Trump,” Lapid told Ynet, “but the president should not interfere in a legal process in an independent country”. His comment echoed MK Simcha Rothman and emphasized the separation between diplomacy and domestic justice.

Polling suggests that Netanyahu’s political position strengthening following the Iran offensive. A Walla survey reported Likud had risen to 26 seats, overtaking Naftali Bennett’s faction. Netanyahu had trailed for months but is now leading, with analysts attributing the rise to perceived wartime leadership and national security success.

The same Walla poll reported 67 percent of Israelis now support a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Support among opposition voters reached 90 percent. Most coalition voters remain opposed. Trump said “progress was being made” in the negotiations, though both Israeli and Hamas officials publicly denied any breakthrough had occurred.

The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry is claiming that three Palestinians were shot dead and seven more were injured on Wednesday during a settler rampage in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah. According to the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, over 100 settlers took part in the attack, which unfolded in the presence of Israeli soldiers.

Qatar’s prime minister said indirect Israel-Hamas ceasefire-hostage talks are expected to resume within two days. Hamas spokesperson Taher al-Nunu said: “There is no substantive update we can report. Netanyahu insists on continuing the war.” Hamas reiterated four conditions: permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction access, and prisoner release.

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