Some experts said they believe the U.S. strikes have the potential to lead to a "fork-in-the-road" moment that could result in Tehran taking an even more dangerous path.

White House officials continue to swagger, but there may be less cause for optimism than they would have the public believe

US airstrikes on Iran set back the country’s nuclear program by one to two years, a Pentagon spokesman said, adding to uncertainty around the status of the country’s facilities after President Donald Trump said they’d been obliterated.