Israel launched a series of coordinated attacks targeting three key Iranian nuclear facilities — Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow — as well as several leading scientists involved in Iran’s nuclear research and development. The core aim of these strikes was to dismantle Iran’s controversial nuclear program before it reaches weaponization capability.
Conflicting Assessments on Damage and Impact on Iran’s Nuclear Program
The full extent of the damage inflicted and the future viability of Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain uncertain. An Israeli military official briefed journalists on Saturday, claiming the strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan sites caused “significant” damage. Conversely, Iranian authorities minimized the impact, stating that damage was “limited,” though they acknowledged the death of nine nuclear experts in the attacks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized the urgency of the operation, “We are at a key point where, if we miss it, we will have no way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons that will threaten our existence.”
He added, “We have dealt with Iran’s proxies over the past year and a half, but now we are dealing with the head of the snake itself.”
Iran continues to insist that its nuclear program is peaceful, but international scrutiny persists amid these recent strikes.
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Natanz: A Heavy Blow to Iran’s Uranium Enrichment Capabilities
Initial assessments suggest the strikes on Natanz, Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility, were especially effective. According to CNN reports quoting two U.S. officials familiar with the operation, the damage extended well beyond surface-level destruction, including knocking out electricity in the lower levels of the facility where centrifuges are housed.
A CNN report shared Satellite imagery that confirmed multiple damaged areas at Natanz, with visible black plumes of smoke rising from several parts of the facility. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) corroborated these findings, reporting that the above-ground section of Natanz’s Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant was destroyed. This plant has been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, significantly closer to weapons-grade levels than previously acknowledged (weapons-grade uranium requires 90% enrichment).
The IAEA also confirmed destruction of key electrical infrastructure—including the main power supply and backup generators—disrupting power to the underground cascade halls where centrifuges operate. While the underground sections themselves were not directly damaged, loss of power likely impaired centrifuge operations.
Natanz’s layout consists of six above-ground and three underground buildings, two of which house roughly 50,000 centrifuges, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). The IAEA noted that although radiological levels outside the site remain normal, “there is radiological and chemical contamination inside the facilities in Natanz,” albeit manageable.
Isfahan: Conflicting Reports Amid Signs of Damage
Damage to the Isfahan nuclear complex — Iran’s largest nuclear research center — was harder to gauge in the immediate aftermath, according to CNN. Iranian officials, led by Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, downplayed the damage, saying it was “limited.” Kamalvandi added that equipment had been relocated before the strikes and that a shed caught fire, but assured there was no risk of contamination.
In contrast, an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) official asserted during a Saturday briefing that the Isfahan site sustained “significant damage.”
Constructed with Chinese support and operational since 1984, Isfahan employs approximately 3,000 scientists and is widely considered central to Iran’s nuclear program, according to NTI. The site includes three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, a conversion facility, a fuel production plant, a zirconium cladding plant, and multiple laboratories.
Fordow: A Tough Target and Critical Battleground
The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant presents a more complicated challenge. Deeply embedded within the mountains near Qom, Fordow houses advanced centrifuges enriching uranium to high purities.
Israel targeted Fordow during the Friday attacks; however, the IAEA reported no damage at the site, and the IDF has not confirmed any substantial impact there. Iranian air defenses reportedly shot down an Israeli drone near the facility, according to Iranian state media Press TV.
Fordow’s status could prove decisive for the overall success of Israel’s operation. In 2023, the IAEA detected uranium particles enriched to 83.7% purity at Fordow — just shy of the 90% threshold for weapons-grade uranium.
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