Severe Damage but Not Irreversible’: Decoding Satellite Images of U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites
With the dust having yet to settle on the U.S. bombing campaign that hit Iran's nuclear facilities on June 22, 2025, satellite imagery has proven to be the indispensable tool for unraveling the truth behind the devastation. The mission, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, was a mass deployment of B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites—important pillars of Iran's uranium enrichment program. President Donald Trump called the raids a complete success, claiming they "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program. However, a closer inspection of satellite imagery, combined with expert opinion and alternative reports, undermines the validity of the damage reportedly done, whether it can be fixed, and the official pronouncements. The Strike Targets: A Strategic Overview The American attacks hit three extremely well-protected nuclear sites, each of which was designed to withstand significant attacks. Fordow, hidden in a mountain, i...