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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jul 8

NEW: US only has about 25% of the Patriot missiles it needs for all of the Pentagon’s military plans after burning through stockpiles in the Middle East, a depletion that led to the Trump admin to try to pause transfers to Ukraine @theguardian.com exclusive www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US only has 25% of all Patriot missile interceptors needed for Pentagon’s military plans

Exclusive: Low stockpiles for the crucial Patriot missile interceptors led to Trump administration pausing transfers to Ukraine

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jul 2

New: Pentagon believes Iran’s nuclear program was only set back roughly 1-2 years as a result of the US strikes last month, the chief spokesperson at the Defense Dept Sean Parnell said Wednesday @theguardian.com latest on the intel situation www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Pentagon says US strikes set back Iran nuclear program ‘one to two years’

Sean Parnell repeats Trump claim that key sites were destroyed, based on ‘assessments inside the department’

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 25

New: Pete Hegseth says he’s launched another leak investigation with FBI into disclosure of classified report saying limited damage to Fordow — “We're doing a leak investigation with the FBI right now because this information is for internal purposes, battle damage assessments.“

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Reposted by Hugo Lowell

Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 22

New via NYT: A senior US official similarly acknowledged the American strike on the Fordo site did not destroy the heavily fortified facility but said the strike had severely damaged it. The person noted that even 12 bunker-busting bombs could not destroy the site www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/w...

Iran’s Fordo Site Said to Look Severely Damaged, Not Destroyed

www.nytimes.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 22

New via NYT: A senior US official similarly acknowledged the American strike on the Fordo site did not destroy the heavily fortified facility but said the strike had severely damaged it. The person noted that even 12 bunker-busting bombs could not destroy the site www.nytimes.com/2025/06/22/w...

Iran’s Fordo Site Said to Look Severely Damaged, Not Destroyed

www.nytimes.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 22

Pete Hegseth repeated claims by Trump that US strikes had completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities even as the Pentagon acknowledged it was too early to provide a full damage assessment @theguardian.com latest www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Hegseth claims US ‘obliterated’ Iranian nuclear sites despite lack of assessment

US defense secretary praises Trump at first news briefing but Pentagon says it is too early for full damage assessment

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 22

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine are scheduled to appear at a news conference shortly. A big board has been set up in the Pentagon briefing room where they will show a graphic

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 21

BREAKING: Trump says the US completed an attack on Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.“

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 21

Trump will return to the White House tomorrow for a national security meeting in the Oval at 6pm, per guidance

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 21

Trump will return to the White House tomorrow for a national security meeting in the Oval at 6pm, per guidance

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Reposted by Hugo Lowell

Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 19

NEW: Trump wants to strike Iran only if the US can destroy the Fordow enrichment facility with bunker bomb. The Pentagon/DTRA concluded earlier this year they don’t go deep enough, and totally destroying Fordow requires a tactical nuke. @theguardian.com exclusive www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over ‘bunker buster’ bomb, officials say

Exclusive: The likelihood of a successful US strike on the Iranian nuclear facility buried deep underground at Fordow is a topic of deep contention, defense officials say

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 19

NEW: Trump will decide on Iran within the next two weeks based on the “substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place” in the near future, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 19

Trump is not considering using a tactical nuke on Fordow and the possibility has not come up in the White House situation room. But top Pentagon officials were told in a briefing this year that bunker buster bombs would likely only bury the facility www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 19

NEW: Trump wants to strike Iran only if the US can destroy the Fordow enrichment facility with bunker bomb. The Pentagon/DTRA concluded earlier this year they don’t go deep enough, and totally destroying Fordow requires a tactical nuke. @theguardian.com exclusive www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over ‘bunker buster’ bomb, officials say

Exclusive: The likelihood of a successful US strike on the Iranian nuclear facility buried deep underground at Fordow is a topic of deep contention, defense officials say

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 18

Trump will be doing flagpoles at the White House tomorrow morning, per his Truth post. Unclear whether this suggests possible US action in Iran is not imminent

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 17

Trump slams Macron on Truth Social for saying he was leaving G7 to work on a ceasefire deal:

“Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that”

Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 17

French president Emmanuel Macron tells reporters at G7 that Trump left early to consider ceasefire proposal between Iran and Israel: “There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kickstart broader discussions.“

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 17

French president Emmanuel Macron tells reporters at G7 that Trump left early to consider ceasefire proposal between Iran and Israel: “There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kickstart broader discussions.“

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 17

Latest: Trump will return early to Washington on Monday from the G7 summit because of events in the Middle East, confronted by an escalating Iran-Israel conflict and the possibility of US involvement hanging in the balance @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump to leave G7 summit early over escalating Israel-Iran conflict

Abrupt change of plans comes after president on Truth Social warns residents of Tehran to evacuate immediately

www.theguardian.com

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Hugo Lowell @hugolowell.bsky.social · Jun 17

"You probably see what I see and I have to be back as soon as I can,” Trump says per pool, in an apparent nod to the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, when asked why he’s cutting short his G7 trip and heading back to Washington tonight

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