Donald Trump has reignited controversy with new allegations about the activities of lorries at an Iranian nuclear site prior to its destruction by a US “bunker buster” bomb, which he claims dealt a “devastating” blow in the Middle East.

Following a leaked intelligence report hinting that the strikes on Iran may have only set back the nation’s nuclear ambitions by months, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine convened a press briefing. Trump maintained that the strikes were “devastating” and suggested that doubting his narrative was not just unpatriotic but also deeply distressing for the pilots involved in the operation.

“You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated – choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,” declared Hegseth during a fiery exchange with journalists.

Gen Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and America’s highest-ranking military officer, revealed that the weapons used had been 15 years in the making and boasted that the missiles hit their targets with precision.

Post-briefing, Trump doubled down on his assertion that Iran hadn’t removed nuclear materials from the targeted facilities before the US strike, countering claims to the contrary. “Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!” he asserted, reports the Mirror.

Commenting on satellite imagery of lorries at the nuclear site, posts on social media speculate they were contractors’ vehicles. There’s speculation workers at the facility scrambled to seal vents with concrete before expected US airstrikes.

Against the backdrop of a video showing the aftermath of a “bunker buster” bomb attack, Gen Caine addressed the media: “This is one weapon, so if you take the view of five additionals, you get the sense of what this looks like. Hopefully you can see it and there isn’t too much reflection.”

Footage captured the missile striking the earth, resulting in an eruption of soil followed by a blast. Gen Caine elaborated: “Unlike a normal surface bomb you won’t see an impact crater as they are designed to deeply bury and then function. I know there’s been a lot of questions about that. All six weapons at each vent at Fordow went exactly where they were intended to go.”

He confirmed the Fordow assault using the hefty 30,000lb bombs was executed according to plan, noting they “functioned as designed, meaning they exploded”.

Hegseth and Gen Caine emphasised the devastating impact of the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, detailing the meticulous planning behind the bombing mission without revealing the extent to which it hindered Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“By design, we don’t grade our own homework. The intelligence community does,” Gen Caine remarked on the success of the operation. “But here’s what we know following the attacks and the strikes on Fordow: First, that the weapons were built, tested and loaded properly.

“Two, the weapons were released on speed and on parameters. Three, the weapons all guided to their intended targets and to their intended aim points. Four, the weapons functioned as designed, meaning they exploded. We know this through other means intelligence means that we have that were visibly, we were visibly able to see them. And we know that the trailing jets saw the first weapons function.”

The timeline for Iran to repair the damage or transfer its capabilities remains a mystery, with speculation about whether Iran managed to relocate its enriched uranium prior to the US strikes.

Hegseth expressed doubt regarding any such movement. “I’m not aware of any intelligence that I’ve reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be – moved or otherwise,” he stated.

The Defence Secretary announced that they decided to hold Thursday morning’s news conference due to “there was a great deal of irresponsible reporting” based on a preliminary intelligence assessment, criticising “biased leaks to biased publications.”

He added: “If you want to know what’s going on at Fordow, you better go there and get a big shovel.”

Trump and his administration have attempted to downplay an early leaked intelligence report suggesting that US strikes against Iran likely set the country back mere months. Hegseth reiterated that the report was preliminary and acknowledged there were low confidence levels and gaps in information.

Drawing reliable conclusions about the impact of the US strikes is challenging only days after they occurred, and Hegseth chastised the media at the Pentagon briefing on Thursday for “breathlessly” focusing on an intelligence report he dismissed as preliminary.