Published on: June 23, 2025 10:56 am
🗞️ Introduction
In the wake of a dramatic U.S. military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, President Donald Trump boldly proclaimed that the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites had been “completely and totally obliterated.” However, recent satellite imagery released by independent analysis firms paints a far more complex picture—raising doubts about the accuracy of Trump’s claims and the actual effectiveness of the strikes.
📍 Background: Operation Midnight Hammer
🔥 What Happened?
On June 22, 2025, the U.S. launched “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a large-scale airstrike campaign involving over 125 aircraft, including B-2 bombers, F-22s, and refueling and surveillance aircraft. The focus of the mission: three of Iran’s most significant nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
While Pentagon officials echoed Trump’s confidence, early images and expert analysis from institutions like Bellingcat, Maxar Technologies, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suggest that key underground infrastructure may have survived the onslaught.
🔬 What the Satellite Images Reveal
🛰️ Fordow Nuclear Facility
Visual Damage
- Crater clusters detected at entry tunnel locations
- Collapsed surface structures and access roads
- Heat signatures indicating high-impact penetration bombs
Expert Insight
According to imagery analysis, Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) may have breached surface defenses, but experts question whether the weapons penetrated the 80-meter depth of Fordow’s centrifuge halls. “We see surface destruction,” says IAEA weapons expert Ali Reza. “But the true target—the cascade halls—are likely still intact.”
➡️ Also read: Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility: An Underground Fortress
🛰️ Natanz Enrichment Site
Surface Impact vs. Structural Survival
- Electrical substations and buildings destroyed
- Ventilation systems damaged, raising internal contamination risks
- Underground cascade halls possibly unharmed
Why It Matters
Natanz is central to Iran’s uranium enrichment. A surface-level hit, though dramatic, may only delay operations. “They can reroute power, but if the centrifuges survived, it’s business as usual in weeks,” said a former U.N. inspector.
🛰️ Isfahan Nuclear Research Facility
Damage Details
- Several laboratory buildings and storage units demolished
- No visual confirmation of radiation leaks or reactor breaches
- Enrichment equipment believed to have been moved prior to strikes
➡️ Related: Understanding Iran’s Nuclear Program: Isfahan in Focus
📣 Trump’s “Obliteration” Claim Faces Scrutiny
🔍 The Political Optics
Trump, in a press conference, declared, “We obliterated Iran’s capabilities—completely, totally, finally.” His supporters hailed the move as a show of strength. But critics, including intelligence analysts and Democratic lawmakers, argue the operation may have been more symbolic than strategic.
🧩 The Intelligence Debate
Were Iran’s Sites Truly Neutralised?
According to leaked Pentagon memos, U.S. intelligence believed Iran had relocated key equipment and materials in anticipation of an attack. This calls into question the strategic timing and efficacy of the strikes.
Bunkers vs. Bombs
- Fordow’s halls are reinforced with meters of steel and concrete
- MOPs can penetrate roughly 60–70 metres.
- Without exact coordinates and perfect aim, deep destruction is unlikely
🧠 Expert Opinions: A Mixed Verdict
“This was a show of force, not a decapitation strike,” says Dr. Farideh Mostafavi, a nuclear weapons researcher at MIT. “The U.S. may have damaged surface-level functionality, but Iran’s program lives on underground.”
Other analysts note that satellite images, while informative, cannot conclusively reveal underground destruction. Until international inspectors access the sites, claims of complete annihilation remain speculative.
🔄 What’s Next for Iran—and the Region?
Possible Iranian Response
- Iran has promised retaliation “at a time and place of its choosing”
- Hezbollah and Iraqi militias have already issued threats against U.S. allies
- Cyber retaliation and regional proxy escalations are expected
Diplomatic Fallout
- European allies condemned the strikes, calling them “disproportionate”
- Russia and China demanded a U.N. investigation
- The 2025 Vienna Nuclear Agreement is now effectively nullified
➡️ Related: Middle East on Edge: What’s Next After the U.S.–Iran Airstrike?
🔚 Conclusion: The Danger of Premature Victory Claims
While President Trump’s statements painted a picture of complete victory, the reality—according to satellite imagery and expert analysis—is far less certain. The strikes were damaging, no doubt, but Iran’s nuclear capability likely remains intact, albeit delayed.
The situation remains fluid, and global leaders now walk a tightrope between deterrence and diplomacy. For now, the only certainty is that the Middle East stands on the edge of another volatile chapter.
Read this also. US Airstrikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites: Global Tensions Escalate