Which are the 3 nuclear sites hit by US air strikes in Iran?

The strikes represent the most significant direct US military action against Iranian territory in years and come amid rising regional tensions. US and Israeli officials said American stealth bombers and the GBU-57 bunker-buster bomb — capable of penetrating fortified underground targets — were used in the operation.

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Here’s a look at the sites hit by US forces and their role in Iran’s nuclear program:

Natanz Enrichment Facility

Located about 135 miles southeast of Tehran, Natanz is Iran’s main uranium enrichment site and a central element of its nuclear program. Before Saturday’s strike, uranium had been enriched there to 60% purity — a step away from weapons-grade — according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The facility had already suffered damage from previous Israeli airstrikes, which destroyed much of its aboveground infrastructure. Still, portions of the site remain underground in reinforced areas designed to resist aerial attacks. The IAEA has reported that earlier Israeli strikes likely destroyed many of the centrifuge cascades housed there.

The Natanz site has been targeted multiple times in the past, including by the Stuxnet virus and other sabotage operations.

Nearby, Iran is reportedly tunnelling deeper into the mountain known as Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, or Pickax Mountain, in a bid to safeguard new nuclear assets from airstrikes.

Fordow Enrichment Facility

Built under a mountain approximately 60 miles southwest of Tehran, the Fordow facility is one of Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear sites. While smaller than Natanz, Fordow is of particular concern to Western and Israeli officials because of its resilience to air attacks and its capacity to house advanced centrifuges.

Construction of the site began in secret in 2007 and was only acknowledged by Iran in 2009, after Western intelligence agencies uncovered it. The US military used the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb — capable of reaching such deeply buried targets. Only the US Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is configured to carry the bomb, making American participation in the attack essential.

Fordow’s design and location have long made it a potential flashpoint, as it represents Iran’s ability to continue uranium enrichment even under attack.

Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre

Situated about 215 miles southeast of the Iranian capital, the Isfahan facility is home to uranium conversion facilities, laboratories, and Chinese-built research reactors. Thousands of Iranian scientists work at the site, which plays a critical supporting role in the country’s broader nuclear effort.

Israeli forces had previously struck several buildings at Isfahan, including the uranium conversion facility, but Saturday’s operation marked a deeper attack. According to the IAEA, there has been no indication of radiation leakage following the latest strikes.

Other sites in Iran’s nuclear network

While Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan are central to Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities, the country operates additional nuclear facilities:

• Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant: Iran’s only commercial reactor, is located on the Persian Gulf and runs on Russian-supplied uranium.
• Arak Heavy Water Reactor: This uses a design capable of producing weapons-grade plutonium but has been partially modified under the 2015 nuclear deal to reduce proliferation risk.
• Tehran Research Reactor: Originally supplied by the US in 1967 under the “Atoms for Peace” programme, this now runs on low-enriched uranium.

(With inputs from AP, The New York Times)