A high-stakes classified briefing on the recent “Buster Bomb” strike targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities took place on June 26th, bringing together a powerful group of national security leaders. Senators received a detailed update from an impressive lineup including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

This closed-door meeting followed a whirlwind of conflicting reports. A preliminary report, leaked to CNN and attributed to anonymous Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) sources, suggested the strike would only delay Iran’s nuclear program by a couple of months. However, a subsequent CIA assessment painted a drastically different picture, claiming the damage inflicted on Iranian facilities is far more significant and will require years to repair.

President Trump and other senior US officials have publicly dismissed the leaked DIA report as inaccurate. The discrepancy in assessments highlights the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the strike’s long-term impact on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, making the senators’ classified briefing all the more crucial.