Satellite imagery reveals damage to key Iran nuclear sites

The satellite imaging shared with the verification of the BBC has provided a clearer image of the damage inflicted on two of the main Iranian nuclear sites as well as other military targets.

The imagery of two different suppliers shows damage to Natanz’s nuclear installation as well as a missile site south of the city of Tabriz – struck during the first round of strikes against Iran on Friday.

Other images show damage to other known missile bases.

Israel continues to target many sites across Iran, which has encouraged Strikes of reprisals.

Maxar’s newly published optical satellite imagery shows the clearest image of what happened on the main Iranian nuclear sites of Natanz and Isfahan.

In Natanz, we can see damage to the pilot fuel enrichment factory and an electrical substation, according to the analysis of the Institute for Space and International Security (ISIS).

This results from the previous analysis of radar imaging which first showed damage.

Friday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the United Nations Security Council that “the part above the ground of the pilot fuel enrichment factory, where Iran produced uranium enriched up to 60% U-235, was destroyed”.

Uranium-235 is essential both for nuclear power plants and also for nuclear weapons.

Verified images taken shortly after the strikes show several plumes of smoke which rise from the site.

Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told BBC, check that, although not conclusive, the explosions model “would adapt to penetrating bombs used. Probably GBU-31 (V) 3 or even perhaps more specialized GBU-28”.

These ammunition, known as “Bunker Busters”, were used by Israel in the past to target underground installations in Gaza and Lebanon.

However, Mr. Grossi said that there was “no indication of a physical attack on the underground cascade room containing part of the pilot fuel enrichment plant and the main fuel enrichment plant”.

On Saturday, the AIEA confirmed that Four “critical buildings” were damaged in IsfahanIncluding the uranium conversion installation and the fuel plates manufacturing plant.

The BBC checks the analysis of Maxar’s latest images has found damage visible to at least two structures in Isfahan and an apparent Torch brand near the periphery of the site.

The IAEA said that “no increase in out -of -site influence” has been recorded in Natanz or Isfahan.

Maxar has also provided images from two other key Iranian nuclear sites that have shown no visible evidence of damage, specifically the Arak heavy water reactor or the Fordow enrichment installation.

The Iranian media had pointed out that the latter site had been targeted, but the FDI has since denied it.

The imagery and analysis captured Friday by Umbra Space reveal damage to several parts of a missile complex near the city of Tabriz in northwestern Iran.

Damaged sites include weapon storage areas, missile shelters and silos, according to the annotated graph provided by Umbra with analysis of the geospatial intelligence consultant Chris Biggers.

In Kermanshah, Planet Labs’s low -resolution imaging shows what seems to be brands of burns extended to an area near a known missile base, and possible damage to two buildings.

The images that we checked from the same site on Friday showed at least three large plumes of smoke which amount to the base.

Maxar also provided images showing significant damage to a structure of the Ghadir Ballistic Missile Base (IRGC) of the Islamic revolutionary (IRGC) near Tehran, and considerable damage to the IRGC radar site in Piranshahr in western Azerbaijan.