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New satellite imagery captured by Maxar Technologies on June 27, reveals that Iranian construction teams have begun urgent repair work at the Fordow nuclear site. The underground facility, which is central to Iran's uranium enrichment efforts, was targeted last week by the United States using "bunker buster" bombs—high-penetration munitions designed to strike fortified underground targets.
The images show heavy machinery such as excavators and bulldozers operating around craters caused by GBU-57 bombs, as well as efforts to rebuild roads leading to the complex. Satellite photos taken 24 hours before the strike had already shown similar movements, indicating that construction activity around the site may have started before the attack.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a United Nations-affiliated body responsible for monitoring nuclear activities worldwide, stated that the centrifuges at the Fordow facility are now “inoperable.” Director General Rafael Grossi, in an interview with Radio France Internationale, said: “The facility took very serious damage. There has been truly significant destruction.”
Still, Iranian authorities have not officially disclosed how much of their nuclear infrastructure has been affected or how far the attack may have set back their enrichment program.
Iranian state media has asserted that the site was evacuated before the bombing and that enriched uranium was transferred to a secure location. Though this has not been independently verified, analysts suggest that updated satellite images may support the claim that Iran acted preemptively to protect sensitive components.
According to Newsweek, the new photos hint that Iranian teams might have taken steps to shield key assets prior to the strike—adding complexity to assessments of the operation’s overall success.
While U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the attacks on Fordow, as well as on Natanz and Isfahan, have “flattened” the sites and pushed Iran’s nuclear efforts back by years, not all U.S. intelligence reports support this view. A leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency, reportedly containing “low confidence” about the full extent of the impact, has triggered controversy in Washington.
The leak has dominated headlines in the U.S. for the past two days, with CIA Director John Radcliffe and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard backing Trump’s narrative. Both have stated that the strikes caused “severe damage” to Iranian nuclear capabilities.
Despite the scale of the attack, U.S. and Iranian officials agree that there has been no nuclear leak or radiation threat as a result of the bombings. This has been a critical point of reassurance for both domestic and international audiences.
The U.S. Department of Defense released its own images showing surface damage consistent with deep-penetration bombs. The bomb craters and breaches on the ground align with Maxar’s independent satellite findings.
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