atellite Images Reveal Damage at Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility After U.S. Airstrike
New satellite imagery confirms visible damage to Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility following a U.S. airstrike involving bunker-busting bombs, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Tehran and Washington.
Photos captured on June 22 by Planet Labs PBC show clear changes on the mountain slope that houses the Fordow facility. Once brown, the terrain now appears gray with altered surface features compared to images taken in April. Light gray smoke can also be seen rising from the area.
Separate satellite images from Maxar Technologies reveal at least six impact craters on the mountain's surface—believed to be created by GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), the U.S.'s most powerful bunker-buster bombs. These weapons are capable of penetrating up to 60 meters of hardened rock before detonation.
“You don’t see a massive explosion at the point of entry,” said Stu Ray, a senior imagery analyst with McKenzie Intelligence Services. “These weapons are designed to detonate deep underground, not on the surface.”
According to the Associated Press, Iranian authorities may have preemptively sealed the facility’s entrances before the strike. Ray noted this would be a tactical move to reduce the risk of direct hits on the access points from above.
Operation “Night Hammer”: U.S. Strike Details
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the airstrike on June 21, targeting three of Iran’s major nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation, code-named “Night Hammer,” reportedly involved 14 bunker-buster bombs, over 20 Tomahawk cruise missiles, and more than 125 military aircraft, according to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Fordow is Iran’s most secure uranium enrichment site, housing roughly 2,000 centrifuges and producing the majority of the country’s 60% enriched uranium—levels just below weapons-grade. Often referred to as Iran’s "nuclear fortress," the facility is carved into a mountain, making it nearly impervious to conventional airstrikes. Israel had previously attempted to neutralize Fordow but admitted only the U.S. had the weapons capable of doing so.
A Historic First for the U.S. in Iran
This strike marks the first time the United States has directly bombed nuclear facilities inside Iran, signaling a deeper American involvement in the simmering conflict between Israel and Iran.
President Trump declared the strikes a success, claiming they had “completely neutralized” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and would force Tehran back to the negotiating table. “It’s time for peace,” he said in his official statement.
Iran Vows Retaliation
Iranian officials, however, rejected claims that Fordow had been wiped out, though they have not released a full damage assessment. Tehran condemned the U.S. strikes as a violation of international law and warned of “long-term consequences.”
“This is an act of aggression that will not go unanswered,” a senior Iranian official said, vowing retaliation against both U.S. and Israeli interests.
As tensions rise, the international community is bracing for Iran’s response—especially given that this marks a turning point in an already volatile regional crisis.
(Sources: Associated Press, Times of Israel)
