The United States has struck three of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites in a powerful aerial offensive. Among them was the Fordow nuclear facility, one of the most secretive and heavily fortified nuclear sites in Iran, located deep beneath a mountain. The US deployed the formidable GBU-57A/B bunker buster bomb in an effort to neutralise the underground site, which had previously withstood Israeli airstrikes. While the full extent of damage to the internal chambers of the Fordow facility, believed to lie more than 60 metres below the surface, remains unclear, newly released satellite images reveal that the entrances to the site were significantly damaged in the attack.
The satellite imagery, published by Planet Labs PBC, shows substantial structural damage to the gates of the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility. A comparative analysis of images taken before and after the strike, conducted by the Associated Press, indicates visible smoke plumes rising from the area, with parts of the mountain terrain exhibiting discolouration, likely the result of the powerful explosion triggered by the GBU-57 bomb dropped by US B-2 bombers.
UPDATE: This satellite picture by Planet Labs PBC shows Iran's underground nuclear enrichment site at Fordow, after a US airstrike targeted the facility on Sunday. Planet Labs PBC/APhttps://t.co/E1Q16eisUi pic.twitter.com/hvr7GKcRVL
— Wayne DuPree (@RealWayneDupree) June 22, 2025
Despite the lack of clarity regarding the effect of the attack on the subterranean chambers, the satellite visuals make clear that the US intended to disable access points to the highly fortified facility.
Fordow is widely considered Iran’s most secretive uranium enrichment plant. Nestled within the mountains of the village of Fordow, approximately 32 kilometres from the religious city of Qom, the site was designed for resilience and secrecy. Capable of housing up to 3,000 centrifuges, construction on Fordow reportedly began in the early 2000s and it is currently operated by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Its deeply buried structure made it nearly impervious to conventional attacks, posing a serious challenge for Israeli forces, whose earlier attempts to neutralise the site yielded little success.
In contrast, the United States opted for a high-impact strategy. Deploying B-2 stealth bombers, the US dropped the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), specifically engineered to breach thick concrete and underground bunkers. The goal: to achieve what Israel had failed to do, damage or disable the hardened Fordow complex.
AP: Satellite images show damage to Fordow nuclear facility after US strikes.
According to the Associated Press, satellite images analyzed by Planet Labs PBC confirm damage to the entrances to Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility after US airstrikes.
The images also show… pic.twitter.com/5vWZGNMVHY
— World News (@newsradars) June 22, 2025
This morning’s strike was part of a broader US military operation targeting three Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. While Fordow was hit by the GBU-57 bunker buster, the Natanz and Isfahan sites were attacked using Tomahawk subsonic cruise missiles, launched from US Navy submarines stationed in the region. Reports indicate that around 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired as part of the coordinated offensive.
Iran has officially acknowledged the US attacks on all three nuclear sites. However, Iranian authorities stated that there was no rise in nuclear radiation levels in any of the affected areas. This suggests that the enriched uranium stored at the Fordow facility may have been relocated prior to the strike. Sources indicate that Iran may have anticipated the possibility of an attack and moved critical nuclear materials from Fordow to a secure location in advance.
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