SAEDNEWS: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Jeffrey Cruz, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, after a preliminary report suggested US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear capabilities by months, contradicting claims of total destruction.
According to SaedNews quoting ISNA, Two sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday dismissed Jeffrey Cruz, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), following the release of a report on U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites that reportedly angered former President Donald Trump.
The official reason for Cruz’s removal was not disclosed; only the broad term “loss of trust” was cited to justify Hegseth’s decision—a term he had previously used when removing other senior military commanders.
The dismissal followed the publication of a preliminary DIA report on U.S. military attacks on three major Iranian nuclear sites. After its initial release through CNN and The New York Times, the report faced sharp criticism from the Trump administration.
The report indicated that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were set back only by a few months, while Hegseth and President Trump had claimed that these capabilities were “completely destroyed.”
The Pentagon and the Defense Intelligence Agency have not responded to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
