New Maxar satellite images confirm ongoing repair work at Iran’s Fordow underground nuclear complex, days after U.S. and Israeli bunker-buster strikes. Excavators and personnel are visible near tunnel sites and access routes—an unmistakable sign of active recovery operations.
The strikes targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—on June 22 under “Operation Midnight Hammer,” employing 14 GBU-57 bunker busters from U.S. B‑2 bombers and submarine-launched Tomahawks. Initial U.S. military assessments praised the deep damage, but later intelligence suggested the attacks may have only delayed Iran’s program by several months.
Damage appears severe: tunnel entrances are gutted, roads cratered, and support structures demolished . The IAEA confirmed “enormous” damage but has not yet confirmed the status of uranium stockpiles or centrifuges.
Despite the destruction, the imagery shows Iran already working to fill in craters and rebuild roads—efforts likely aimed at restoring access to underground facilities. However, whether Iran can effectively restore enrichment capacity remains uncertain.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe informed lawmakers that the destruction of the Isfahan metal conversion site dealt a “years-long setback” to Iran’s bomb-making capability. Still, experts argue technical knowledge isn’t destroyed by bombs, and Iran may mobilize underground resources to recover .
Moving forward, the IAEA seeks access to damaged sites, but safety and diplomatic challenges complicate verification. If Iran continues expansion of activities at Fordow—as historical patterns at the site suggest—Western intelligence agencies must maintain vigilant monitoring.
