Trump rejects leaked intelligence that says strikes did not destroy Iran nuclear programme – live updates

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Aboard Air Force One en route to the Nato summit in the Netherlands, Trump shared a personal text message from a somewhat unlikely source.

It was sent by Nato boss Mark Rutte who praised the American president for what he had accomplished in using US bombers to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, ” wrote Rutte.

The warm words illustrated just how much the diplomatic equation in the Middle East has changed for Trump.

Last week he left the G7 summit a day early, as conflict raged between Israel and Iran and it appeared increasingly likely the US would join the fight. America’s allies were anxious.

Now, it appears Trump is heading to Europe with the intention of basking in their praise. But the outlook is more complicated.

While the administration says Iran’s nuclear research facilities were “obliterated”, US military intelligence officials have told American media the damage is not as severe as the White House claimed.

And although Trump appears to have stopped the two-week Israel-Iran fighting, the wars that Trump inherited and promised to end, in Gaza and Ukraine, rage on.

Read more here.

Image source, Reuters