Shocking photographs show six craters after American “bunker buster” bombs were dropped by the US on Iran’s main nuclear facility. Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), northeast of the city of Qom, was out of reach of Israel’s operation to degrade the country’s nuclear programme due to its location deep underground.
Israel had urged the United States to use its 30,000lb “bunker buster” bomb to penetrate the facility’s protection, leading to last night’s attack by B-2 bombers, codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer. The photographs show six craters, one for each of the six bombs dropped by the US in the early hours of the morning. Donald Trump hailed the operation, telling the nation: “Remember, there are many targets left,” as he warned Tehran that any future operation would be much easier for the US to accomplish than that seen last night.
The craters at the site can be seen clearly in the images released by Maxar Technologies, surrounded by grey dust and debris scattered down the mountainside after the attack.
It is understood that the facility is located 80 to 90 metres below ground, underneath rocks and reinforced concrete.
The extent of the damage inflicted remains to be seen, despite President Trump’s assertion that the operation was a “spectacular success”.
US Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this afternoon: “The goal of the operation – destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – had been achieved.
“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”
Trump said following the strike on Truth Social: “We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
“All planes are now outside of Iran’s airspace.”
The attack on Fordow was one of three sites targeted, with nuclear facilities at Natanz and Esfahan hit by 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from submarines.
A spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that they are still assessing the situation, adding that it is “too early to determine” if Iran’s claim that enriched uranium was removed from the nuclear sites before the US attack is true.
The US president bragged that the Iranians had no idea that the operation had been launched, after B-2 bombers were sent west towards Guam as a diversion while the striking force approached from the east.
He had previously said that he would make a decision on whether or not to launch a strike “within two weeks.”
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said this afternoon that America “does not seek war” with Iran following the attacks, as he warned Iran to return to the negotiating table.
Mr Hegseth said it is important to note the US strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people, a veiled effort to indicate to Tehran they do not want retaliation on American targets in the region.
“This mission was not and has not been about regime change,” Mr Hegseth added.