The U.S. military carried out an aerial assault on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility on June 22 as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, targeting Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan with bunker-buster ordnance and cruise missiles. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told CBS News that the Fordow complex, deeply embedded within a mountain near Qom, had been “seriously and heavily damaged.” However, he added that a full assessment is pending as the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) works to evaluate the extent of destruction.
While President Trump hailed the strike as one that “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capability, U.S. officials have cautioned that a final damage report will take time, underscoring uncertainty about underground infrastructure .
Satellite imagery provided by Maxar reveals excavators and repair machinery now stationed at the site—a sign that Iran is actively assessing damage to critical infrastructure and potential uranium stockpiles buried underground . Experts warn that uranium could have been relocated or concealed beneath debris prior to the strike, turning inspection into a complex “cat-and-mouse” operation for the IAEA.
This incident follows a surge of coordinated airstrikes by U.S. and Israeli forces earlier this month, which also targeted Natanz (where the pilot fuel enrichment plant was hit) and Isfahan (where uranium conversion facilities were destroyed). Tehran’s parliament promptly passed a law mandating suspension of cooperation with the IAEA, citing perceived bias and the timing of the attacks.
U.S. intelligence echoed that Iran’s nuclear program has suffered a setback—perhaps reduced to a matter of months behind—but far from obliterated. Many centrifuges may still be intact, and enriched uranium remains unaccounted for . CIA Director John Ratcliffe later clarified the destruction of Isfahan’s metal conversion facility had significantly delayed Iran’s ability to weaponize uranium, though material may still be recoverable in rubble .
Although Iran has suspended IAEA inspections, its officials have stopped short of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They’ve signaled a willingness to return to diplomacy—suggesting, however reluctantly, that a path to nuclear talks still exists .
Why This Matters
- Strategic Nuclear Delay: The strike aimed to impair Iran’s underground enrichment capabilities, setting back nuclear development.
- Verification Challenges: With the site now damaged and inspections halted, IAEA may struggle to locate and verify existing nuclear material.
- Diplomatic Fallout: Iran’s suspension increases distrust, complicating any efforts toward renewed nuclear diplomacy.
- Global Risk: Disruption of the IAEA’s work and Iran’s potential response could escalate tensions in the Middle East and impact global non-proliferation norms.
This moment marks a watershed in U.S.–Iran policy: powerful military action at a major nuclear site, followed by defensiveness and defiance in Tehran. What unfolds now—IAEA access, Iran’s next moves, and potential diplomatic breakthroughs—will shape the region’s future.
