How much damage was done? Inside the strikes that shook Iran's nuclear program

Economic Times

16 hours ago

The US and Israel launched major strikes on Iran's nuclear sites to slow down its bomb-making ability. Key facilities like Natanz and Fordow were hit. Some machines were destroyed, but Iran may have moved uranium in time. Damage was serious, but how much is still unclear. Iran says its program will continue anyway.
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What was hit?
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Signs of damage before and after
Did Iran move anything before the attacks?
What do US agencies say?
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FAQs
The US and Israel attacked Iran's nuclear sites to stop Iran from making nuclear weapons and to damage their uranium enrichment systems. Donald Trump said the strikes 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program and set it back 'decades'.Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said the US failed to do anything important. Israeli intelligence said the damage was 'very significant'. But the US Pentagon said Iran was only set back 'a few months', according to the report by Telegraph.1. At the Natanz enrichment plant, Israel struck first and destroyed the main power station, power lines, backup generators, and fuel tanks. This made the centrifuges stop working. Satellite images showed smoke and three craters near enrichment halls, meaning deeper damage.Later, the US dropped 'bunker buster' bombs on Natanz, hitting underground areas. At least one 'penetration hole' was seen.2. Fordow enrichment plant, aka 'crown jewel' : The US dropped 12 giant bombs on Fordow under a mountain. They targeted ventilation shafts and centrifuge halls 80 meters deep. Bombs entered the main shaft at 1,000 ft/sec and exploded underground. Iran tried to cover the shafts with concrete, but the bombs blasted through. The actual damage is unknown because it's deep underground, as stated by Telegraph report.Iran backfilled tunnels at Fordow and Isfahan before the strikes, maybe to block blasts or trap them inside. No dirt or debris was seen outside after, which may mean no tunnel collapse.But IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Fordow's centrifuges are 'no longer operational'. He said vibrations from the bombs destroyed the machines, which are very delicate. US and Israeli strikes also hit Iran's defence research HQ and University buildings in Tehran linked to nuclear work. These were linked to nuclear weapons development, as per the report by Telegraph.20 top military leaders and 14 nuclear scientists were assassinated. These people were key to building nuclear weapons. Iran replaced them quickly and stayed defiant.Iran might have moved its uranium and equipment before the attacks. Trucks and bulldozers were seen at Fordow and Isfahan right before the US strikes. Later, Iran said it had moved the uranium to a secret place. US Vice President JD Vance said they'll work on finding and securing the uranium, as per reports.But Trump said nothing was moved, claiming it was just construction workers on site. Experts say it would have been difficult for Iran to move the uranium, but not impossible. Pickaxe Mountain, close to Natanz, might be hiding a secret underground facility — possibly deeper than Fordow.Just one day before Israel's attack, Iran claimed it had built a new uranium enrichment site, but didn't say where it is. Experts believe more secret nuclear sites exist, as mentioned in the report by Telegraph.Trump and Netanyahu want to show this as a victory to gain political support. Iran says its program is damaged but not dead — and they're still working on it. Trump claimed US intel intercepted a call where Iranians said, 'This place is gone.' Khamenei repeated that 'America failed.'US Pentagon said the strikes only delayed Iran's program by a few months. CIA is more hopeful — they say the damage was severe. Full truth will take weeks or months to know. Israel is now hunting inside Iran, even during ceasefire, for leftover nuclear material.The US may demand that Iran give up its uranium in a future deal. Only Iran knows how much of its 400kg enriched uranium is left and where it is. Iran's parliament just suspended cooperation with the IAEA, cutting off global monitoring. Some Iranian leaders now even want to build and test a nuclear bomb. Experts say it could take Iran years to rebuild what was lost, according to Telegraph report.They destroyed power supplies and underground tunnels at key sites like Natanz and Fordow, damaging uranium-enriching machines and slowing down Iran's nuclear work.Experts think Iran moved some uranium to secret places before the strikes, but there is no clear proof, and Iran denies it.