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What We Know About the Iranian Nuclear Facilities Targeted in US Strikes
US has launched airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities, employing stealth bombers and bunker-busting munitions in an operation aimed at supporting Israel's ongoing military campaign against Iran.
The strikes, which began on 13 June, were designed to cripple Tehran's uranium enrichment capabilities and hinder its nuclear ambitions. The Targets: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan
The US strikes focused on three of the most critical and advanced sites in Iran's nuclear program: the Fordow enrichment plant, the Natanz nuclear facility, and the Isfahan nuclear complex.
Each of these locations plays a pivotal role in Iran's production and development of nuclear fuel. Fordow Facility
Located approximately 30 kilometers northeast of the city of Qom, the Fordow site is entirely built into a mountain at an altitude of 1,750 meters, shielded by dense rock and volcanic layers—making it one of Iran's most fortified nuclear sites.
The underground facility houses two halls and has the capacity to accommodate around 3,000 IR-1 centrifuges.
It is primarily used to enrich uranium up to 60% purity—just below the weapons-grade threshold.
Fordow has long been seen as a primary military target due to both its technical capabilities and hardened location. Natanz Reactor
Situated near the central Iranian city of Kashan, the Natanz site is protected by a 22-meter-thick combination of earthen and concrete cover and surrounded by mountainous terrain.
It includes both main and pilot enrichment plants and hosts over 14,000 centrifuges of various generations (IR-1, IR-2m, IR-4, and IR-6).
Natanz serves as Iran's main industrial enrichment center, responsible for producing the majority of the country's low-enriched uranium.
It is also central to the research and development of advanced centrifuge technology. Isfahan Nuclear Complex
Located on a barren plateau south of Isfahan city, far from major population centers, the complex is not hardened or underground.
It contains the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF), a fuel fabrication plant, and three research reactors.
Strategically vital, the Isfahan complex supports both the Natanz and Fordow facilities by supplying essential nuclear materials.
It lies at the heart of Iran's nuclear research and manufacturing infrastructure. Statements from Washington and Tehran
Earlier today, former U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the airstrikes as a major success, claiming they had 'wiped out' Iran's principal nuclear sites.
'Fordow is gone,' Trump declared, adding that the main enrichment installations had been 'completely and utterly destroyed.' He urged Iran to 'choose peace now.'
In contrast, Iranian media outlet Tasnim quoted an unnamed Iranian official who downplayed the impact, stating the nuclear sites had been evacuated in advance and had not sustained irreparable damage.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran also assured the public there was 'no risk of radiation leakage' as a result of the strikes.
The US operation marks a dramatic escalation in the conflict, with significant implications for regional stability and the future of Iran's nuclear program.
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