Gabbard Senate Testimony: 'Midnight Hammer' Destroyed Iran's Enrichment Program, No Rebuilding Detected

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence of the United States, warned on Wednesday during a Senate hearing — presenting a new intelligence community assessment — that several countries including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan are researching and developing various types of missile launch systems. These systems include innovative and advanced technologies as well as traditional models, and are capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads. According to the assessment, these missiles can reach US soil, posing a serious threat to national security. Gabbard emphasized that this trend reflects these countries' efforts to increase their deterrence and military power, and that the American intelligence community has continuous monitoring of these activities on its agenda. Gabbard wrote in the annual threat report to the US Senate Intelligence Committee that Operation “Midnight Hammer” destroyed Iran's enrichment program, and no signs of rebuilding that capacity have been observed since. She also stated that the Iranian government has been severely weakened as a result of recent military operations but still stands, and that Tehran and its proxy forces still retain the ability to attack American interests and its allies in the Middle East. According to Gabbard, if the regime survives, it may rebuild its missile and drone capabilities within a few years.