New satellite images have unveiled significant damage to the Fordow nuclear facility in Iran following U.S. military airstrikes. Captured on Sunday by Maxar Technologies, the imagery illustrates multiple large craters on a ridge above the underground complex situated south of Tehran.
The photos reveal a dust and debris layer resulting from the airstrikes, with several entrances to the tunnels leading to the facility appearing to be blocked with dirt.
President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the U.S. had conducted attacks on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites, calling it a “spectacular military success.” He specified that the U.S. deployed a “full payload” of bombs on Fordow, recognized as one of Iran’s main nuclear enrichment centers, which is heavily fortified within a mountain.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported that seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped 14 heavy bunker-buster bombs as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, a highly secretive mission. He indicated that the B-2s utilized the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal, deemed capable of penetrating Iran’s most protected nuclear sites.
The extensive operation involved over 125 U.S. aircraft, including various fighter jets and aerial refueling tankers, and utilized 75 precision-guided munitions against Iranian targets. The assessment of the damage will require time, but initial observations suggest that all three targeted Iranian sites experienced damage and destruction.
This bombing was preceded by a week of Israeli airstrikes intended to weaken Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Trump had been contemplating collaboration with Israel on this initiative. Following the attacks, Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel, with many intercepted.
The situation represents a major escalation in the ongoing conflict, with Iran threatening further action against U.S. forces, which have a significant presence in the Middle East. Both Trump and Pentagon officials have called for peace, cautioning Iran of potential additional strikes if tensions remain unresolved.