“Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan pose biggest nuclear threats to US,” said Gabbard, United States Director of National Intelligence, as quoted by Reuters.
She also said Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme had been “obliterated” in June strikes, signalling a sharp assessment by US intelligence on Tehran’s current nuclear capabilities.
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The remarks come amid a sharp escalation in the Israel-US vs Iran conflict, where a series of targeted Israeli strikes has pushed tensions closer to a direct confrontation between the two regional powers.
Iran’s president on Wednesday confirmed the “assassination” of intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, after Israel said it had “eliminated” him in an overnight operation authorised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
The strike marks one of the most high-profile killings of an Iranian official since the conflict intensified, signalling a widening Israeli campaign targeting Tehran’s top security and intelligence leadership. Khatib, who oversaw Iran’s internal security and intelligence apparatus, is the latest in a string of senior figures to be killed, following Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani.
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Israeli officials have indicated that such operations could continue without the need for additional political clearance, suggesting an expanded operational mandate for its military against Iranian targets.
The developments point to a deepening shadow war spilling into open confrontation, raising fears of broader regional spillover and sharpening global concerns around nuclear stability, deterrence, and the risk of a wider West Asian conflict.
