The top intelligence official in the US said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime was intact but largely degraded.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and other top Trump administration officials testified at a congressional hearing for over two hours about global threats to the US.
This was the first public briefing on intelligence since the war began in late February and came one day after a top counterterrorism leader resigned, stating that Iran had not posed an imminent threat to the US.
Gabbard, who coordinates the country’s intelligence operations, noted that the US had anticipated trouble in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel.
The IC [intelligence community] assesses the regime in Iran appears to be intact, but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities, she said.
During the hearing, Gabbard faced questions from Senator Jon Ossoff about whether she viewed Iran as an imminent threat but declined to answer directly.
The only person who can determine what is and is not an imminent threat is the president, she emphasized.
Amid the hearing, lawmakers questioned the rationale behind US strikes on the Islamic Republic and the perceived threat level. President Trump has maintained that the strikes were necessary due to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
On Tuesday, counterterrorism director Joe Kent resigned, arguing that Iran posed no imminent threat and criticized Trump's war strategy.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe disagreed with Kent, asserting that Iran has long been a threat and posed one currently.
Gabbard stated that US and Israeli operations had largely destroyed Iran’s military capabilities, adding that Iran was trying to recover from damage inflicted during the recent military engagement.
The hearing highlighted the ongoing debate over intelligence assessments and the administration's military strategy, particularly concerning operations in the Middle East.
