Trump’s Iran strikes information questioned after satellite images counteract claims

After the US's latest strikes intended to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, satellite images showing the aftermath show there has been a lot of damage, however, perhaps not quite as much as Donald Trump has claimed.

On the ground, craters were created, and tunnels collapsed, but further definitive proof on whether underground facilities were impacted remains to be seen.

Though the US president took to Truth Social to declare how the sites had been "completely and totally obliterated."

"The biggest damage took place far below ground level," he added. "Bullseye!!!"

It was early hours of Sunday, when “Operation Midnight Hammer” commenced as the American military struck three nuclear facilities located in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

What do the satellite images tell us?

  Satellite image of the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility after US strikesMaxar Technologies

Maxar Technologies has published satellite images where a number of craters and new holes on top of the ridge at the Fordow underground complex, while dirt appears to be covering the tunnel entrances.

Uncertainty remains over the impact of the cruise missiles and “bunker buster” bombs fired by American aircraft and submarines.

What do experts say?

This reservation is reflected by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Gross, who has said, nobody "is in a position to assess the underground damage at Fordow,” while the IAEA noted no nuclear radiation was released from the facilities.

“As for the assessment of the degree of damage underground, on this we cannot pronounce ourselves. It could be important; it could be significant, but no one … neither us nor anybody else could be able to tell you how much it has been damaged," he explained.

Meanwhile, General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said they're still awaiting to fully assess the damage.

“It would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there,” he said.

What to know about Iran's nuclear sites

Natanz is Iran's main uranium enrichment site, which contains an underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) and the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, according to the World Nuclear Association.

The second facility is Fordow, buried deep underground and is estimated to have 2,700 centrifuges for uranium enrichment, so no surprise that it is heavily fortified.

  Satellite image of Fordow nuclear facility, Iran earlier this month on 14 JuneMaxar Technologies

Then there is Isfahan Nuclear Technology and Research Centre, previously bombed by Israel, but these recent US strikes appear to have hit an area of the centre to do with uranium and "entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material" as per the UN nuclear watchdog said.

  Satellite image of the Isfahan Nuclear Technology and Research Centre after US strikesMaxar Technologies

In preparation for the US strikes, it is believed Iran attempted to weaken the impact by getting the tunnels filled, as satellite images by the Institute for Science and International Security ( were analysed and appear to indicate this.

Meanwhile, trucks could be seen dumping soil into tunnels at the site on Friday from photos taken by Airbus and analysed by the US non-profit

“At least three of the four tunnel entrances are collapsed,” it said. “The status of the fourth one is unclear.”

Elsewhere, Trump accused of 'fan fiction' in congratulatory post about ceasefire, and Republicans ridiculed over claim Trump should get Nobel Peace Prize.

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