Recent satellite images show continued activity at Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, days after it was targeted in a series of airstrikes by the United States. The images reveal significant developments near the site’s ventilation shafts, which were struck by specialized bunker-buster bombs during the assault.
Visible in the imagery are excavation machines, vehicles, personnel, and a crane operating close to the northern ventilation shaft, situated on a ridge above the underground complex. The equipment and personnel appear to be engaged in immediate post-strike activity, with some vehicles positioned below the ridge along a temporary access path.
The strikes, carried out by B-2 bombers, involved the use of Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs aimed directly at Fordow’s ventilation infrastructure. The bombs were reportedly designed to penetrate the main shafts of the complex at high speeds and detonate deep inside the fortified underground facility.
In addition to Fordow, other Iranian nuclear sites were also targeted. Natanz was struck similarly by B-2 bombers, while the Isfahan nuclear site in central Iran was hit with Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a US submarine.
In the aftermath, experts analyzing the satellite imagery believe the activity at Fordow involves backfilling the craters caused by the strikes, assessing structural and engineering damage, and possibly performing radiological sampling. The craters above the main shafts remain exposed, indicating that full repairs or concealment of the damage have yet to be completed.
The main access road leading to the facility, which was initially cratered in the attack, appears to have already undergone swift repair. However, no visible effort has been made to reopen the tunnel entrances, suggesting that access to the core of the facility remains restricted or under assessment.
Despite initial statements from US leadership claiming a long-term setback for Iran’s nuclear ambitions, early assessments suggest otherwise. Intelligence analyses indicate that while the strikes inflicted damage on external infrastructure, the essential components of Iran’s nuclear program remain intact. The expectation among analysts is that Iran could resume uranium enrichment operations within months if it chooses to do so.
Statements from global nuclear oversight officials reinforce this timeline, casting doubt on assertions that the operation set Iran back by decades. These developments suggest that while the strikes delivered a tactical blow, they may not have achieved the intended strategic outcome of crippling the nuclear program over the long term.
The situation continues to evolve, with experts and intelligence agencies closely monitoring the site through satellite surveillance and other means to assess the full scope of recovery and repair efforts underway at the affected facilities.
