[By Guancha Observer Network, Wang Kaiwen] In the early hours of June 22 local time in Iran, the United States launched an attack on three nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Subsequently, U.S. President Trump claimed that the key Iranian nuclear facilities had been "completely destroyed."

Reuters reported on June 22 that commercial satellite images showed that the U.S. attack severely damaged or possibly destroyed the deeply buried Fordow nuclear facility and its internal uranium enrichment centrifuges. However, experts believe that it is still impossible to verify the true extent of the damage to the Fordow nuclear facility.

"They just used these giant penetrating bombs to open up the nuclear facility," said David Albright, head of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security and a former UN nuclear inspector. "I estimate that the facility may have been completely destroyed."

However, Decker Eveleth, a research associate at the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) who specializes in satellite image analysis, pointed out that it is impossible to determine the extent of damage to underground nuclear facilities because the hall where the centrifuges are located is "buried too deep, and we cannot assess the extent of the damage based on satellite images."

On June 22, new high-definition images taken by Maxar Technologies' satellites showed six new impact craters in the area of the Fordow underground nuclear facility after being bombed by the U.S.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that the locations of these impact craters might be the landing points of the U.S.'s giant penetrating bombs. Additionally, visible in the images are gray dust and debris scattered on the mountain slope due to the explosion.

Impact of the explosion at the Fordow underground nuclear facility - Maxar Technologies satellite image

Experts interviewed by Reuters pointed out that the ridge where the impact craters are located is believed to be where the centrifuge halls are placed.

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine stated on June 22 that during this attack on Iran, seven B-2 bombers dropped 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrator bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds (approximately 14 tons), with a penetration depth of about 200 feet (approximately 60 meters).

Caine said that preliminary assessments indicate that all three target locations suffered extremely severe damage, but he refused to speculate whether any nuclear facilities remained intact.

Eveleth believes that the satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies and Caine's comments show that B-2 bombers first dropped six massive ordnance penetrators at the Fordow nuclear facility and then dropped another six in exactly the same location. The U.S. operation also attacked Iran's main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's largest nuclear research center in Isfahan.

A senior Israeli official, speaking anonymously to The Washington Post on June 22, said that preliminary assessments show that the nuclear facility in Isfahan has been "destroyed," while the nuclear facilities in Fordow and Natanz have been "severely damaged."

The New York Times quoted a senior U.S. official on June 22 as saying that the U.S. attack did not completely destroy the heavily guarded Fordow nuclear facility, but caused serious damage, enough to "take it out of play." The official added that even 12 massive ordnance penetrators could not completely destroy the Fordow nuclear facility.

However, bomb analysis experts pointed out that hasty conclusions should not be drawn regarding the extent of damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, as it depends on various factors, including the depth of the explosion and the surrounding geological conditions.

Reuters reported that both the U.S. and Israel have stated their intention to prevent Iran's nuclear program. If its nuclear facilities and equipment are not completely destroyed, it means Iran may find it easier to restart its nuclear weapons program, which was suspended in 2003.

Some experts warned that Iran may have transferred a batch of highly enriched uranium close to weapon-grade levels from the Fordow nuclear facility before Sunday's early morning attack and may have hidden them along with other nuclear components in locations unknown to Israel, the U.S., and UN nuclear inspectors.

Experts noticed that Maxar Technologies' satellite images showed "unusual activity" at the Fordow nuclear facility on June 19 and 20, with vehicles lining up at the facility's entrance. An Iranian senior source told Reuters on June 22 that most of the 60%-enriched highly enriched uranium close to weapon-grade levels had been transferred to an undisclosed location prior to the U.S. attack.

Satellite image shows many vehicles near the entrance of the Fordow nuclear facility on June 19 - Maxar Technologies satellite image

Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, posted on social media in Chinese, Russian, English, Persian, and Hebrew on June 22, stating that despite the U.S. air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, Iran's uranium enrichment materials are still available, and "the game is not over."

Some U.S. individuals pointed out that Iran will continue to advance its nuclear program.

"I think, apart from delaying their nuclear program by a few years, you can hardly achieve anything else," said Jeffrey Lewis, professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies of Monterey, to Reuters. "It is almost certain that there are some facilities there that we don't know about."

Mark Kelly, Democratic U.S. Senator from Arizona and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he reviews intelligence daily. His biggest concern now is that they will move the entire project underground, not physically, but under radar surveillance. We are trying to stop them, but this may accelerate their development."

According to Tasnim News Agency on June 23, Iran's deputy foreign minister stated that Iran will continue uranium enrichment activities and emphasized that "no one can tell Iran what to do."

In addition, according to a report by IAEA Director General Grossi on June 22, after the nighttime air strike by the U.S., the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities in Iran were hit. The Isfahan nuclear facility, which had been repeatedly attacked by Israel, suffered further damage.

Grossi said that the craters on the Fordow nuclear facility are clearly visible, indicating that the U.S. used penetrating munitions, but "currently, no one, including the IAEA, can assess the extent of the damage to the Fordow underground facility."

He added that Iran has informed the IAEA that after the attack on the three nuclear facilities, the off-site radiation levels did not rise.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7519041777497719330/

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