Satellite images undermine Trump's claim Iran's atomic sites destroyed
(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump's decision to order US forces to attack three key Iranian nuclear installations may have sabotaged the Islamic Republic's known atomic capabilities, but it's also created a monumental new challenge to work out what's left and where.
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Trump said heavily fortified sites were 'totally obliterated' late Saturday, but independent analysis has yet to verify that claim. Rather than yielding a quick win, the strikes have complicated the task of tracking uranium and ensuring Iran doesn't build a weapon, according to three people who follow the country's nuclear program.
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International Atomic Energy Agency monitors remain in Iran and were inspecting more than one site a day before Israel started the bombing campaign on June 13. They are still trying to assess the extent of damage, and while military action might be able to destroy Iran's declared facilities, it also provides an incentive for Iran to take its program underground.
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Trump dispatched B-2 stealth jets laden with Massive Ordnance Penetrators, known as GBU-57 bombs, to attempt to destroy Iran's underground uranium-enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow.
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Satellite images taken on Sunday of Fordow and distributed by Maxar Technologies show new craters, possible collapsed tunnel entrances and holes on top of a mountain ridge.
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They also show that a large support building on the Fordow site, which operators may use to control ventilation for the underground enrichment halls, remained undamaged. There were no radiation releases from the site, the IAEA reported.
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New pictures of Natanz show a new crater about 5.5 meters (18 feet) in diameter. Maxar said in a statement that the new hole was visible in the dirt directly over a part of the underground enrichment facility. The image doesn't offer conclusive evidence that the attack breached the underground site, buried 40 meters under ground and reinforced with an 8-meter think concrete and steel shell.
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US Air Force General Dan Caine told a news conference earlier on Sunday that an assessment of 'final battle damage will take some time.' IAEA inspectors, meanwhile, haven't been able to verify the location of the Persian Gulf country's stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium for more than a week. Iranian officials acknowledged breaking IAEA seals and moving it to an undisclosed location.
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Indeed, there's just a slim possibility that the US entering the war will convince Iran to increase IAEA cooperation, said Darya Dolzikova, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.
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Calgary Herald
an hour ago
- Calgary Herald
Oil spikes as Trump's attack on Iran ramps up risks to supplies
(Bloomberg) — Oil surged after the US struck Iran's three main nuclear sites and threatened further attacks, exacerbating a crisis in the Middle East and stoking concerns that energy supplies from the region could be disrupted. Article content Global benchmark Brent rallied as much as 5.7% to $81.40 a barrel, before paring some of that gain in heavy trading. Timespreads widened. US President Donald Trump said air attacks had 'obliterated' the trio of targets, and threatened more military action if Iran didn't make peace. In its initial reply, Tehran warned the strikes would trigger 'everlasting consequences.' Article content Article content Article content Brent's prompt spread — the difference between its two nearest contracts, and a closely followed metric — widened to as much as $1.99 a barrel in backwardation, from $1.53 on Friday. That's a bullish pattern indicating concern about tight prompt supplies. Article content Article content The US assault — which targeted sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — dramatically raises the stakes in the confrontation and increases the premium that traders are pricing into the global energy market. Still, the extent of the gains will depend on how Tehran opts to respond to the US moves. Article content The oil market has been gripped by the crisis since Israel attacked Iran more than a week ago, with futures pushing higher, options volumes spiking along with freight rates, and the futures curve shifting to reflect tensions about tighter near-term supplies. The Middle East accounts for about a third of global crude output, and a sustained increase in prices would boost inflationary pressures worldwide. Article content Article content 'The market will closely watch Iran's response — particularly whether it will move to disrupt Middle Eastern oil flows, directly or indirectly through its regional proxies,' said Muyu Xu, a senior crude analyst at Kpler Ltd. 'If Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, even for one day, oil can temporarily hit $120 or even $150.' Article content There are multiple, overlapping risks for physical crude flows. The biggest centers on the Strait of Hormuz, should Tehran seek to retaliate by attempting to close the chokepoint. About a fifth of the world's crude output passes through the waterway at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Article content Iran's parliament has called for the closure of the strait, according to state-run TV. Such a move, however, could not proceed without the explicit approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Iranian Canadians and others watch and worry after U.S. strikes on nuclear sites
Iranian Canadians and Jewish groups turned worried eyes to the Middle East on Sunday, as U.S. strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of escalating violence. Nimâ Machouf, a member of a Montreal Iranian women's association, said family members in Iran are living 'from one bomb to another.' 'I'm very worried because this will only accelerate the violence in the region,' she said in a phone interview. 'It will further aggravate the problem and take us further away from peace.' Machouf, who is also an epidemiologist and former NDP candidate, believes the strikes will only hurt the people who are fighting to free themselves from Iran's repressive regime. Attacks from other countries means that Iran's people 'are not protected by their government, nor protected by others, by the international community,' she said. 'So people feel abandoned by everyone, everywhere.' Story continues below advertisement 0:50 Iran's UN envoy accuses Netanyahu of 'hijacking' U.S. foreign policy The United States inserted itself in Israel's war against Iran early Sunday as it launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Police in Toronto and Vancouver have published messages on social media platform X, confirming an increase in police presence in both cities while authorities monitor the situation in the Middle East. The Toronto police post said that more police presence 'can be expected wherever necessary,' while Vancouver police said more officers and resources will be deployed to 'certain places of worships, cultural and community centres, and diplomatic buildings.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Conflicts in the Middle East are thousands of kilometres away, but they reverberate closely in our diverse community and impact many peoples' sense of safety,' the post from Vancouver police said, adding that more officers have also been deployed to make sure protests 'remain lawful.' Story continues below advertisement 'We're listening to local faith leaders and community representatives from countries impacted by the conflicts … Our priority is your safety.' Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on social media that U.S. military action was designed to alleviate the 'grave threat' Iran's nuclear program represents to international security. 'Canada has been consistently clear that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,' he wrote. 1:42 Israel says world should 'thank' U.S. after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites But Carney said the situation in the Middle East was 'highly volatile,' and urged the parties to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution. The interim president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs described Iran's nuclear program on Sunday as a 'grave danger to global peace and security.' 'Eliminating this threat is an essential step toward achieving a safer Middle East and a more secure and peaceful world,' wrote Noah Shack, who urged the federal government to 'stand strong against the Iranian threat.' Story continues below advertisement Kaveh Shahrooz, a lawyer and a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, said many Iranians are worried about the impact the U.S. decision will have on civilians. 'I think there's quite a bit of (concern) simply because there's a lot of unknowns,' he said. Shahrooz said Iran's regime offers virtually no protection to its own citizens in the form of air raid sirens or shelters, and internet has been cut off. 'So there's a lot of fear about what we will find out once internet connection is restored and we're able to talk to our families again,' he said. Shahrooz said feelings among Canada's Iranian diaspora vary, from anger at the strikes to support for U.S. actions. 'Among the people who are not supportive of Iran's regime, I think there are some who are cheering and who are saying this was long overdue,' he said. 'And they're happy to see the Iranian regime's nuclear program effectively dismantled and to see that regime humiliated.' On the other hand, Machouf called any suggestion that Israel will 'liberate' Iran's people a 'masquerade' and said regime change must come from within. Gur Tsabar, a spokesperson with Jews Say No to Genocide, said a rally called 'Hands Off Iran' was organized for Sunday afternoon in Toronto to demand sanctions on Israel and a two-way arms embargo. He described recent Israeli and American actions in Iran as 'beyond disturbing.' Story continues below advertisement Tsabar said the rally scheduled for Sunday afternoon is co-organized by 16 groups, including the Iranian Canadian Congress, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jews Say No to Genocide and a number of labour unions.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Trump's go-it-alone strategy on Iran risks dividing an already split Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's decision to launch a military strike on Iran's nuclear sites without fully consulting the U.S. Congress layered a partisan approach onto a risky action, particularly because the White House briefed top Republican leaders beforehand without doing the same for Democrats. While House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Republican leader John Thune and the GOP chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee were all briefed before the action, their counterparts were not. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer was given a perfunctory heads-up by the White House shortly before the strikes were made public. And House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries' office received a 'courtesy call' before Trump announced it. The so-called Gang of Eight congressional and intelligence leaders were not notified before the mission, according to two people familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.
