US Airstrikes Target Iranian Nuclear Sites

Recent satellite images have revealed the extent of damage inflicted by US B-2 stealth bombers in an airstrike directed at nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz, Iran. The images from Planet Labs PBC indicate that several buildings at both locations were impacted during Operation Midnight Hammer.

Rafael Grossi, the Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported on Monday that the Isfahan site suffered an attack, which included the confirmed use of cruise missiles. He noted that the affected structures are linked to uranium conversion and that there seemed to be damage at a tunnel entrance used for storing concentrated materials.

At the Natanz enrichment facility, a fuel enrichment plant was also targeted, and Grossi mentioned that the US confirmed the use of underground munitions in this assault.

Americans in Qatar were advised to evacuate due to threats from Iranian military forces, which also led to the closure of airspace in the region.

The US launched a surprise strike on Saturday, targeting nuclear sites in Fold, Natanz, and Isfahan. Air Force Secretary General Dan Kane provided a briefing on Sunday morning, asserting that all three sites sustained significant destruction.

In response, Russia cautioned that Iran had potentially opened a “Pandora’s Box,” raising fears of a prospective global “nuclear catastrophe.”

Assessing the full extent of the damage will require more time, Kane stated.

Satellite images showed that the Fordow site, an underground nuclear enrichment facility, had some of its structures obliterated following the strikes.

Located near Qom city, Fordow lies about 60 miles southwest of Tehran, whereas the Natanz and Isfahan facilities are above ground.