It has been reported that Iran may have relocated uranium and other critical materials from Fordow even before the U.S. attack.
According to The New York Times, citing two Israeli officials, Iran is believed to have removed uranium and key equipment from the Fordow nuclear facility before the U.S. carried out a heavy strike there on Sunday morning.
Israel is assessing the extent of damage at Fordow caused by the U.S. strike through satellite imagery and intelligence mechanisms.
According to The New York Times, which cited the officials, satellite images taken days earlier showed numerous trucks around the Fordow nuclear facility. The visible movement of these trucks has led to suspicions that Iran may have already relocated uranium and critical equipment from Fordow before the U.S. attack.
Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies showed 16 cargo trucks positioned at the entrance of the nuclear site. Meanwhile, analysis by London’s Open Source Center suggested that Iran might have been preparing the site for a potential strike. However, it noted that it remains unclear what exactly was removed from Fordow.
The Fordow facility, believed to be a major center for nuclear weapons production, was targeted by the U.S. on Sunday with extremely powerful GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated during a press briefing last night that a total of 12 such bombs were dropped on Fordow alone.
Former President Donald Trump also claimed that the site was completely destroyed and rendered inoperable due to the deployment of a dozen 30,000-pound bombs. However, assessments by U.S. officials suggest that the nuclear reactor at Fordow was not entirely destroyed.
Despite the use of the massive 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, the Fordow site—heavily fortified with advanced security infrastructure—is believed to have sustained only partial damage and was not fully destroyed.
The extent of the damage is still under investigation. U.S. Air Force Chief Daniel Kane stated that all three nuclear facilities sustained significant damage, but a full assessment may take several more days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also confirmed that an evaluation of the damage is underway.
Former Pentagon and CIA official Mick Mulroy commented that based on the type of bombs used in the strike, Iran’s nuclear program has likely been set back by at least 2 to 5 years.
“The full damage assessment will come in the next few days,” he said.
The Fordow site is reported to be located 262 to 295 feet beneath a mountain. The type of bomb capable of destroying such a deeply buried facility is believed to be possessed only by the United States. According to CNN, Fordow is also used to produce uranium enriched up to 60% purity and houses around 2,700 centrifuges.
